Pearl and Silver knives

[Ridgegrass]

When I first started collecting a long time ago, I thought pearl handles were the cat's arse. Didn't take me long to realize they are fragile and seem to crack just lying in a case. I've long since stopped buying them but friends have given me quite a few of "Dad's" or Granddad's" just because they know I collect.Out of 60 or so, most are European made, and cracked ! Maybe 10 or 12 are perfect. Most of you probably know that grinding pearl nacre is devastating to the lungs and many poor men and women cutlers were crippled and died from the practice.
Here are a few from across the pond.
Pic.!: 2-5/8" UNITED CUTLERY CO., Germany, Slightly yellowed from oil I think.
Pic.2: Sterling silver blade showing hallmarks of HARRISON BROS.& HOWSON, Sheffield, 1873. 3-1/2" Fruit knife.
Pic.3: WESTER BROS. Germany. 3-1/16" Congress
Pic.4: Full view of HARRISON BROS.& HOWSON silver/pearl fruit knife. Sheffield 1873.

[kootenay joe]

I have quite a few pearl handled knives: German, British & USA. Most have a crack somewhere on the handle. In my earlier daze i did not know that other collectors will not buy any pearl handle knife with a crack in the pearl. There are more vintage pearl handle knives with cracks than there are crack free examples. Sometimes rest of knife is exquisite and made by a top maker like Jos. Rodgers & Sons, but if pearl has a crack, no buyers. I don't understand this.
kj

[Ridgegrass]

KJ: We could start a museum of cracked pearl! I've got a ton of them too, and like you said they're otherwise very good. J.O'.

[Mumbleypeg]

I suspect most of us have a few pearls. They are exquisite and hard to resist, for me at least. I try to avoid buying those that are cracked but I have my weaknesses, so some cracked ones have made their way to my house. Here’s a few (not all foreign- made), some cracked and some not.

Ken

Case Brothers (pile side has crack)
Case Bradford (chip at center pin)
North American Wichita, Kans. (shield crack)
Robeson Shuredge
Brantford
Premier Lifetime (shield crack)
W. R. Case & Sons (pearl replaced by Case)
Rather & Co. (broken pearl replaced on one side)

Ken

[Ridgegrass]

M'PEG: Really nice. Good to see them. Hope we get some more exhibitors. J.O'.

[doglegg]

I guess this one qualifies. It's my only one.

[Mumbleypeg]

David, that is a stunner! You seldom see pearl that has been worked, engraved or whatever that is called. Beautiful piece.

Ken

[Ridgegrass]

That is a beauty! Thanks for joining in.
Back in my "Pearl" freak days I bought this set of 12 Russell carved pearl, silver mounted butter knives. Had them at a show in Maryland and a sweet lady picked one up to admire it, and now I have eleven!!. At the show dinner that night, the club chaplain, Walt Minnick, knowing the knife had shattered when it hit the concrete floor, gave a beautiful blessing and reminded us that our prized possessions were ultimately, "only things of this world". It was a soothing moment for all there and I remember it fondly. There are at least two lesson there.

Pic#1: The eleven Russell "survivors" with an L.F.& C. Aetna Works across the top.
Pic#2: Detail of blade stamp, 1834 J. RUSSELL & CO. 12, (Don't think that's a manufacture date, just Russell's logo.)
Pics#3 and 4: Details of carving of the pearl handles
Pic#5: Group of L. F. & C. Aetna Works dinner pieces
All the blades are silver plated and the mounts are sterling. (They all need a good polishing but the butler and maid retired. ) My wife has used them at fancy and family dinners but mostly they just repose regally in the sideboard, throwbacks to another era I guess. J.O'.

[btrwtr]

The carved MOP handles on the Russell knives are stunning.

[Ridgegrass]

Far cry from a Barlow knife!! J.O'.

[knife7knut]

Nothing more beautiful than carved mother of pearl(except maybe carved ivory).Here are some examples of the art.Not all are knives but have something to do with them;i.e.:manicure sets with knives in them;letter openers(page turners)with knives in the handles,and razors.Hope you enjoy them.This will take three posts so please be patient.
#1 an abalone handled manicure set.
#2 F.A.Koch Germany senator with fluted handles and bolsters. I have several of these by various manufacturers.
#3 G.&J Allen Superior Cutlery with carving and pique work(silver pins embedded in the pearl).Piquing was only popular for a very short period of time;circa 1840-1850.
#4 J.A.Henckels manicure set with small pearl handled knife and carved pearl tools.
#5 & 6 A page turner/letter opener with quill blade in the handle marked Youle.
#7 & 8 A carved pearl letter opener.
#9 Another carved pearl letter opener in the shape of a keris dagger.
#10 a miniature folding knife with handle in the shape of a scimitar.(background is 1 inch squares to give you an idea of it's size).

[knife7knut]

Page too
#1 a small fob knife stamped MSR USA with a carving of a figure holding two objects in his hands.
#2 A set of 6 butter knives by Northhampton cutlery Co.
#3 & 4 A beautiful carved pearl calling card case(bottom half only)with carved pearl manicure tools inside.
#5,6,7,&8 Both sides of two carved pearl silver fruit knives.
#9 & 10 two straight razor tangs made of carved pearl.

[knife7knut]

Page last
#1 Another pearl razor tang for Landers,Frary,& Clark. Blade is etched in gold.
#2 Remington lobster with a gentleman's name carved into the handle
#3 A small tuxedo by Suffolk Knife Co. Germany with fluted handles.
#4 Another tuxedo by United Cutlery Germany.
#5 A mint condition carved pearl straight razor by Wade & Butcher with original box.
#6 Half senator marked with a W inside a diamond with fluted handles and bolsters.

[kootenay joe]

Ray, in first group, what is marked on 4 blade Senator with carved pearl ? I know it is German.
Good rule for all pearl handled knives: only pick up to handle or examine when standing on a carpet.
kj

[knife7knut]

Ray, in first group, what is marked on 4 blade Senator with carved pearl ? I know it is German.
Good rule for all pearl handled knives: only pick up to handle or examine when standing on a carpet.
kj

Roland:It is an F.A.Koch.I try to list my knives that I post in the description.The fluted handles are a weird phenomenon that I have found in knives from England as well as Germany. I have a couple others that have bone and plastic handles.
My rule of thumb is to NEVER pick up a pearl handled knife unless I own it!I bought a gorgeous John S. Holler pen knife that had a very fancy shield on the pearl handles and on the way home it fell down (unbeknownst to me)into the seat rack of the car.When I failed to locate it I slid the seat back to better see under it.Once you have heard the sound of pearl being crushed by a metal seat track you will NEVER forget it!

[knife7knut]

And a few silver knives(and one gold)
#1 Capital Cutlery Germany sterling silver.
#2 Japanese mini multi-blade(possibly Mitsuboshi)sterling silver.
#3 Marked only with a Text letter S inside a shield sterling silver.
#4 Hudson Knife Co.Germany sterling silver.
#5 Humason & Beckley New Britain CT sterling silver.
#6 I*XL in sterling silver.
#7 I*XL in 14k gold.
#8 National Cutlery Germany in fancy aluminum.
#9 English Text letter R sterling silver.
#10 Thomson Knife Co. Germany in fancy aluminum

[Ridgegrass]

Dug through my "Pearlies" and found these imports. Any with a (*) have perfect pearl, no chips etc. but may have broken blades. Can't win!!
Column 1: Top to Bottom: Wadsworth*, G. Wostenholme, Wadsworth* Julanco, W.H.Morley
Column 2: W.H.Morley*, Wadsworth, IXL*, Eder(7blade w/tiny hawk), Finedge Ostiso
Column 3: Walter Bros.*, ?? Cutlery Works, Volunteer Cutlery, Magnetic, Finedge Ostiso*

I found some USA mades and I'll post them on a new "Pearly Handles" thread on the GENERAL KNIFE DISCUSSION heading.
Keep 'em coming! J.O'.