Tyne IXL George Wostenholm Sheffield England Pocket Knife

[Draac]

GEORGE WOSTENHOLM I*XL Sheffield England "TYNE HAWKBILL CHAMPAGNE KNIFE"


Description: Vintage Tyne IXL George Wostenholm Sheffield England Pocket Folding Knife. This knife is a single blade. The knife is in good condition as it is accurately shown in the pictures that I have provided. There are some minor dings in the brass handle as seen. The knife is about 3 1/4" long when closed.

I think it is one handsome knife. I'm a big fan of vintage brass handled knifes.

Draac

[gino]

She is sweet Draac and they are pretty hard to come by. Great find.

[tjmurphy]

Nice knife Draac, I've got one just like it that I've had for about forty years. They are good and solid.

[biglmbass]

I really like the looks of that.

[smiling-knife]

Nice one If you search tyne you will find some previous threads here. s-k

[PigSticker]

That's nice don't believe i've ever seen one--are they just slabs with a backspring??

[Draac]

I found this information on a British knife forum. I thought I would repost it here for informational purposes.

One of the most well know Sheffield trade marks I*XL.

Most collectors are familiar with the cutlery made by George Wostenholm. The company was originally listed as "George Wolstenholme and Son", the name was shorted before about 1820.

They acquired the I*XL trade mark in 1826.

Any knife bearing the I*XL trade mark must be assumed to have been made after 1826

Two early markings found on fixed blade/folding bowie knives are

I*XL Geo. Wostenholm, Rockingham Works, Sheffield (prior to 1848 )

I*XL Geo. Wostenholm, Washington Works, Sheffield (after 1848 ).

Geo. Wostenholm and Son Ltd (after 1875, when the firm was formed into a limited company)

The following markings appear in the 1885 catalogue

George Wostenholms Celebrated I*XL Cutlery

I*XL George Wostenholm Celebrated

George Wostenholm I*XL Cutlery

I*XL George Wostenholm, Sheffield

George Wostenholm, Sheffield

In 1890, the US McKinly Tariff Act required all imported goods to be marked with their country of origin. Some Wostenholm knives were marked Sheffield, England before 1890. Also some Wostenholm made cutlery was marked Sheffield (no England) after 1890, so knives made around this time are sometimes difficult to date.

Many of the 1885 markings were used up until WW2

I*XL Wostenholm, Sheffield (this mark was in use during WW2)

I*XL George Wostenholm, Sheffield, England(after 1945 the most common mark used.)

On some knives of this period the England is shortened to Eng.. Also knives can be found stamped I*XL George Wostenholm, England.

On these post war knives its quite common to find I*XL stamped deeply on the blade face. Also (on carbon blades) the reverse tang is usually marked "OIL THE JOINTS".

After about 1970 the quality of Wostenholm made knives falls. The post war tang stamps slowly disappears, to be replaced by ink etching.

Draac

[smiling-knife]

From the 1960s...