Masticator knife early 1800's 10" three blades

[GerryD]

This is one of me recent finds. It’s a rare masticator knife with three blades for cutting food into small pieces for people with gum desease and no teeth, it was possibly cheaper than dentures at the time but still expensive at the time of preduction.
Its 9.75” open and the blades are 4.75” long and all the same size, the outer blades converge towards the centre blade and when new I suspect when new the gap between them was even.
The scales are of stag and the handle tapers from 1” at the blade hinge end to 0.75” at the other end. There are some strange spacers between the springs that create this taper. The three blades are stamped with “M Bowden” or just “Bowden” or nothing on one of the outer blades but its my suspicion that it will be Sheffield or maybe London. I can’t find any indication to the place of manufacture and the stamp is on the blade and nothing on the tang.
I await your views.

GerryD

[knife7knut]

WOW!!!!!!!!! That is hands down one of the most unusual knives I have ever seen! A great find and thanks for posting it.

[GerryD]

Its my pleasure knife7knut glad you liked seeing it.

gerry

[btrwtr]

Yes WOW! Awesome knife!