Antique Quill Knives

[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

[galvanic1882]

Here is a little Sheffield set I picked up not long ago. In the picture with the blades open the instrument on the bottom and the 2 knives on the top are marked Wells Strand, At one time I had a 5 blade beauty marked BB Wells Strand and this might be the same maker. Not sure what the set was made for so if anyone has a clue let me know. I believe they are all handled in bone. No markings on the other 2 knives or the needle, awl and corkscrew.

[knife7knut]

Here is a little Sheffield set I picked up not long ago. In the picture with the blades open the instrument on the bottom and the 2 knives on the top are marked Wells Strand, At one time I had a 5 blade beauty marked BB Wells Strand and this might be the same maker. Not sure what the set was made for so if anyone has a clue let me know. I believe they are all handled in bone. No markings on the other 2 knives or the needle, awl and corkscrew.

I think the set may be a manicure set.The bottom piece appears to be a nail file/fingernail cleaner/cuticle pusher.One of the knives looks like a regular pen knife.The other appears to be a quill knife. The cork screw was used to open perfume bottles that came with corks(before screw-on caps). The tapered metal piece with the ball end looks like a handle for the corkscrew. The top item looks like a crochet hook.I have a fixed blade set that has similar items.

[LongBlade]

Cool old sets!!! I'm curious as to the age of these for a few reasons... One is the scissors included in your set knife7knut - are they pre-1900?? I have been collecting old fly tying tools from the 1800s for some time now... Of course in the 1800s most fly tyers probably took the sewing scissors from their wives as tools were not sold for fly tying per se and made by blacksmiths etc for multiple purposes.. The size of scissor for fly tying are generally small and sewing scissors fit the bill. I should probably post some of these old tools sometime as I think a few folks may enjoy them. For example I have a really old pair of scissors that were forged from iron and had a makers stamp of symbols on the handles. Be glad to throw them up here if anyone would like (but maybe it is not exactly fitting for a quill knife thread) or maybe I should throw them up on the General Discussion board - at least the scissors are considered cutlery and are pretty old and cool !!!

[knife7knut]

Cool old sets!!! I'm curious as to the age of these for a few reasons... One is the scissors included in your set knife7knut - are they pre-1900?? I have been collecting old fly tying tools from the 1800s for some time now... Of course in the 1800s most fly tyers probably took the sewing scissors from their wives as tools were not sold for fly tying per se and made by blacksmiths etc for multiple purposes.. The size of scissor for fly tying are generally small and sewing scissors fit the bill. I should probably post some of these old tools sometime as I think a few folks may enjoy them. For example I have a really old pair of scissors that were forged from iron and had a makers stamp of symbols on the handles. Be glad to throw them up here if anyone would like (but maybe it is not exactly fitting for a quill knife thread) or maybe I should throw them up on the General Discussion board - at least the scissors are considered cutlery and are pretty old and cool !!!

The J.A.Henckels set probably dates no earlier than 1930. The scissors in the set are actually buttonhole scissors. Not sure exactly how they work but the screw on the side is a limit screw so they won't cut in too far. The other set is probably from around 1900. Would love to see the scissors;they are still "edged tools"

[LongBlade]

Thanks K7Knut!! Well here are the forged scissors - estimated +/- 1860-1880... They originated from an auction in the mid-west somewhere but other than that I don't know much about them. You can see where the maker put his stamp on the upper handle in last photo.. For me they were perfect as these would well represent what a fly tier would have used in the late 1800s... and quite frankly I still like scissors with lots of room for my fingers when tying flies... ... There is just abit of wobble in the cutting shears but still cut and have/will not sharpen them... Hope these photos work ok or will get some better pics to post but you can click and enlarge all photos including last photo with stamp to see them better...

[knife7knut]

I hate to say this but I have a pair that is near identical to those and I believe they are of recent manufacture from China.Not meant to deceive but rather standard work scissors.I can't find the pic at the moment but I'll find them and post a pic.

EDIT: Here are the pictures

[LongBlade]

Interesting K7Knut.... hmnn.. they are similar but not exactly... I showed my pair to a good buddy of mine in England and he is a well-known and reputable collector of vintage fly tying ephemera (he even writes for a vintage section of a UK Fly Fishing/Tying mag) - he actually thought they were for real as old having seen a few others he pulled from old estate sales in the UK... I only paid approx $20 so for what they are I am good with them... but now you have me thinking .... Thanks for posting yours - at least mine may have some phony stamps

[knife7knut]

It's very possible that yours are old;I'm far from being an expert on old scissors.The pair I have has marks similar to yours but they appear to be forging marks where the pieces were held in a pair of tongs. I think I paid less than a dollar for mine and they actually work quite well;even for cutting heavy material.The handles are surprisingly comfortable;I can fit all four fingers into them.

[LongBlade]

No doubt they still make forged scissors such as these in China as they are a traditional design that started there long ago (& they use carbon steel as well) - they are quite useful for many things - however similar ones were made long ago as well from my understanding here and in the UK... I'm no scissor expert either though I should be with all the scissors I have from fly tying over many years I should start a scissor thread on General Discussion with photos of the many designs I have accumulated - as you said they are useful "edged tools"

[knife7knut]

Sounds like a good idea. Here is a pair I bought years ago by Joseph Rodgers. Each side has a pwn blade encased inside and the scales are ivory.There is a small silver sheath to protect the points. Marks date it to pre-1900. To give you an idea of the size, the knife blades are 1" long.

[LongBlade]

Those are without a doubt the most unique pair of scissors I have ever seen ... and with ivory scales and blades ... Are they heavy in the hand? - look like perfect size for fly tying if indeed they feel good in the hand... Scissors to me are no different in my mind than your favorite EDC in terms of how they feel in hand and doing their job ... Recently picked up a pair of scissors made by Joseph Rodgers and Son as well - not sure of age yet as I am waiting by the mailbox... But they are small 4 & 1/2" and stamped with asterisk or star and cross on handle... Perfect size for fly tying but not anywhere as nice as yours with all the additions...

[LongBlade]

Well - bringing this back to top and also getting it back on track as it was my fault it started discussing scissors ... I forgot I never posted this quill knife here - sorry...

V-crown-R carved ivory quill with brass bolsters... no doubt 1837-1901 - I was told probably earlier than later in that time period... cool coping blade - still snaps and no wobble (and I am ignoring the crack in mark side - pile side has a small chip missing.. acceptable to me given the condition of knife as a whole)... trying to figure out the 2 lines under the V-crown-R... S-K gave me some important info which didn't come to mind until he noted it and that is only certain cutlers had the right to use the crown marking... another Sheffield collector (Campbellclanman on BF - not sure he is a member here) believes it may be a Rodgers quill and that the letters underneath can be the retailer or shop for which the knife was made and sold...

Tough to read the letters under the crown marking but I see:
V-crown-R
? R ? (maybe a P R ? - maybe M R ?)
W E I ? (at least one more letter - maybe 2) OR W L L OR W I L OR WEL....

I tried all types of lighting and even my hand held mini-microscope (compliments of my buddy Jerry ).. but some letters are just too worn for my old eyes...

(Can't access the other forum and the Sheffield thread (BF) - its down or something - to see what S-K noted about my guesses on letters as he had a good perspective but he is on the mystery - and much appreciated!!)...

Any other guesses, comments etc?? Cool old quill either way in my book... and thanks for looking!!!
Lee

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[FRJ]

Nice old quill, Lee.

Here's one stamped - American.
I have no idea who made it.

[Beechtree]

Figured I would post here as well, great score Joe! American Knife Co. Plymouth Hollow Conn 1849-1875

[FRJ]

Here is another Quill stamped "American".

With fellow Patriot in previous post.