What Is It? C. Asprey 155 Bond Street Sterling Silver Knife

[Another Knife Collector]

I acquired this C. Asprey 155 Bond Street knife and do not know what it was for. It has sterling silver handles with hallmarks I cannot completely identify. The company that made it is a London jeweler still in business today. http://www.asprey.com/ The tool built into the knife is a retractable device with a hexagonal end. It doesn't seem at all right to be a pipe tool as I first thought. It is quite thin and would not take heavy use as evidenced by the damage. It was not designed to come out or unscrew. Any ideas what it was for? A company is advertised on the side with the engraving, "WITH COMPLIMENTS THE AUSTRAL STEVEDORING & LIGHTERAGE CO LTD SYDNEY." For anyone not familiar with the terminology it refers to dock work and naval cargo hauling. Thanks for any help!

[tc3500]

Here is a wild ass guess - Maybe for winding a Grandfather clock, or other clock?

update - If it telescopes, I doubt my guess is right - wouldnt wind, prolly just spin at joint.

[Miller Bro's]

I have a couple Gold plated knives of the same construction.

The ones I have there is a mechanical pencil or a ball point pen that pulls out for writing.

Yours may not pull out as I see the case is dented in, possibly preventing it from pulling out.

[Another Knife Collector]

Thanks for the replies, I don't believe it was a pen, if it was it's been damaged, when first I got it I pulled it out thinking thats what it was, and shouldn't have... It was hard to get back together but I learned it is made with 3 hollow telescoping sections with swelled ends and a ring in the end of the connecting section meant to stop it. Essentially just like a radio antenna. I just noticed a number on it, it looks like R 688174 but the first number may be a 5, its hard to read.

[Miller Bro's]

I just noticed a number on it, it looks like R 688174 but the first number may be a 5, its hard to read.

Most likely a british patent number.

Can I see a close up of the knob at the end and the barrel?

[Another Knife Collector]

Here's a shot, sorry its not the greatest picture, I appreciate your thoughts

[Cooter Brown]

Could it be a pipe smoker's tool?

[tc3500]

You did check to see if its a magnet, right.?

[tjmurphy]

Maybe in working order it is a pointer. Looks as though the entire "wand" should slip into the knife.

[smiling-knife]

Interesting attachment... no idea at the moment. The leopard head is for the London assay office and the letter date 1925. I suspect it was made for Asprey the retail seller of the knife but do not know this forsure. s-k

[smiling-knife]

Seems it is a collapsible pencil. Here's an example. s-k

http://www.vintagepens.com/catill_new3.shtml

More picss

http://www.vintagepens.com/morepics.php?id=9801&pics=7

has 'Oil the Joints' on the tang. Blades perhaps made by Wostenholm or another Sheffield maker e.g. Thos Turner.

[tjmurphy]

Well you sure solved that one S-K, good job

[Miller Bro's]

That`s what I said it was

[Another Knife Collector]

Ha well what do you know? Very interesting thank you! When I tried to pull it out I removed the two end sections and only saw the hollow inside of the third section. Now I'm going to have to find a way to carefully get that last section out without damaging it...