Antique Quill Knives

[Miller Bro's]

Ahh, Dimitri... for someone who has never met me, you sure know what I like!

I know one thing, you have very good taste when it comes to old knives

What an elegant little pearl!

I agree, it was made for an elegant Victorian lady in it`s day

It is a snappy little devil too!

[knife7knut]

Here's a few:Top to bottom:
National Cutlery Germany
D.Peres
Camillus 3 line
Southington
I*XL
B&B
Stephens

The bottom one is a unique item in that it is a combination ink eraser and quill knife used to actually make quills.It works by taking the quill and pushing the point into the groove along both edges where it contacts the pointed edge of the blade;splitting the tip to allow ink to flow.The opposite end is a hard rubber ink eraser.
I have a couple more quill knives that are built on the end of letter openers;one pearl and the other ivory and tortoise shell.I'm trying to locate them now.
Note the B&B knife which is a large copy of the GW knife.The ad on the opposite side is for the Hydrocarbon Products Co.;and the list of products is like a Who's who of carcinogens:Benzol;Toluol;Xylol;etc.

[slimpickins]

Man, I like this thread, some beautiful examples of an elegant old pattern. I only have one I recently got on ebay. Edward Barnes and Sons. Slim

[cato]

yes, some nice ones here. I am like Slim just one is all i have...

KEEN KUTTER

[Miller Bro's]

Ray, Slim and Cato, thanks for showing your quill knives!

They are all interesting and fun to look at

This one is a bit unusual in that it has the patented Pellett blade pull to open the blade, and it works quite well

[Miller Bro's]

The bottom one is a unique item in that it is a combination ink eraser and quill knife used to actually make quills.It works by taking the quill and pushing the point into the groove along both edges where it contacts the pointed edge of the blade;splitting the tip to allow ink to flow.The opposite end is a hard rubber ink eraser.

Ray, it`s not a quill knife. It is actually an envelope opener and a ink/lead eraser combo

Check it out: http://www.google.com/patents/US96845?p ... 45&f=false


I love patented old knives and just about anything unusual that is patented

[knife7knut]

Ray, it`s not a quill knife. It is actually an envelope opener and a ink/lead eraser combo

Check it out: http://www.google.com/patents/US96845?p ... 45&f=false


I love patented old knives and just about anything unusual that is patented

Dimitri:
Thank you for clarifying that and showing the link.I was going by what I was told when it was purchased and it seemed to make sense.I actually made a couple of quill pens using that method and they worked quite well.
Here are the two others I mentioned before.The tortoise shell handled one(might be clear horn)is marked V crown R Toothill and the pearl one is marked either Voule or Youle;it;s hard to tell.

[Lawrence]

This thread has made me look twice at a little pearl, no name knife that was part of a small collection I bought a while ago off a lady who said it was her grandfather's - who always carried a knife and the '20s. She showed me pictures of the general store he ran, with a horse hitched in front of it. Not the greatest pictures, but could this be an old quill knife? cheers

[knife7knut]

Lawrence: It could possibly be a quill knife.If you look at the last picture I posted showing the bottom views of the knives notice how the back spring wraps around and dtoward the point of the blade.This is a characteristic of a quill knife.If you can post that view of your knife we can tell for sure.

[Lawrence]

Lawrence: It could possibly be a quill knife.If you look at the last picture I posted showing the bottom views of the knives notice how the back spring wraps around and dtoward the point of the blade.This is a characteristic of a quill knife.If you can post that view of your knife we can tell for sure.

Thanks for the tip K7K...check out the pics. I guess I am the proud owner of a quill knife The small collection I picked up included 3 other small knives...W.H. Morley and Sons, United Cutlery, and a Syracuse Knife Co. so I would suspect that this one was once a decent knife for the collector...too bad their are no markings. cheers

[galvanic1882]

How about this Freidmann & Lauterjung 8 blade with ivory handles. I have always wanted one of these and it being an F&L makes it really special!!

[knifegirl888]

Wow! That is fabulous!

[galvanic1882]

Thanks Kathy, I will bring it to the Queen show so you can check it out

[knifegirl888]

Great! We will be looking forward to it!

[knifegirl888]

Mike,

I just wanted to thank you again for letting me see this knife. What a marvel it is!

[vikingdog]

I picked this up at the flea market today, the only quill knife I have. It's unmarked but pretty well made with good snap on the blade.

[Miller Bro's]

Nice one Mike, and very old too

[vikingdog]

Thanks Dimitri! Any idea of its origins or age?

[Miller Bro's]

The steel pins are typical of German construction.

Some English companies used steel pins on nickle bolsters, but usually on work knives that would be used hard, not on a delicate quill knife

[vikingdog]

Thank you Dimitri.

[LongBlade]

Bringing this thread back to life after almost 2 years....

Recent cool find this week for a very low price - old quill knife from England, no doubt of this - but trying to figure out if it was Sheffield or another city based on tang stamp... tortoise shell scales with a silver band and a grooved bolster (at least I believe that is what it is called.. Maybe one just calls it a decorative bolster?).... the bolster may be gold or perhaps just nickel silver with lots of brass... not sure... Blade has hard snaps both ways and a half stop... Still trying to figure out the tang stamp - so far I know the crown on top indicates that her majesty approved or purchased from this cutlery (sort of like when I purchase fly stuff in London at Farlows on past business trips ) and the shopping bag says "By appointment of the Prince of Wales".. true as Prince Charles shops there I guess - most likely orders online from there LOL!!)

Hope these pics work as I used my iphone... no time at the moment to setup my photo area ;-(( but will soon! I can add more or better pics later... Also one of those knife finds not along my normal collection focus but have a soft spot for "some" old knives that deserve a home and better living conditions than a flea market type store

Thanks
Lee

[btrwtr]

Here is a Jenner & Knewstub c. 1866 - 1889 quill knife with page turner.

Wayne

[btrwtr]

Bringing this thread back to life after almost 2 years....

Still trying to figure out the tang stamp - so far I know the crown on top indicates that her majesty approved or purchased from this cutlery (sort of like when I purchase fly stuff in London at Farlows on past business trips ) and the shopping bag says "By appointment of the Prince of Wales".. true as Prince Charles shops there I guess - most likely orders online from there LOL!!)

Thanks
Lee

Quill Blade Open5A.jpg

Quill Back3A.jpg

Tang StampA.jpg

I think your Tang stamp is G CROWN R for Rodgers (George Sheffield) Cutlers to His Majesty c. 1820 -1830.

Wayne

[FRJ]

Here is a Jenner & Knewstub c. 1866 - 1889 quill knife with page turner.

Wayne

Wayne, that thing is gorgeous.
Was it also used to crease paper to make the early envelope?
Where was it made?

[LongBlade]

Nice quill knife Wayne - that is in great shape and sports a lovely design - that pearl handle shines .. How long is it?? Thanks for the info on the quill knife I posted as well!! That gives me a place for some background reading... Can you recommend any good books I should look for to get me up to speed on Sheffield knives?? Tweedsdale?? The majority of my knifes are from New England & especially CT but I have a soft spot for Sheffield knives for multiple reasons including the important role and influence that area had on knife makers here, and just knife history in general...

Thanks again!!
Lee