Women In Cutlery

[Beechtree]

Throughout history, women have been involved with the production and use of cutlery.

In England, women played an integral role in the cutlery industry

The late 18th century list of manufacturers of Pen & Pocket knives shows: Mary Krikby of Brinkworth’s Orchard, a Hannah Patten and son of Silver street, Widow Ratcliff of Paradise Square, Hannah Marsh of Park, Widow Spencer of Westbar-green, and Widow Smith of Broad-lane End, Widow Green of Worral, Widow Ibbotson of Caldwell, Widow Jones and Sons of Greenhill,

18th century manufacturers of Razors shows a Widow Rowland of Black-lane
18th Century Lancets and Phlemes: Mary Hallam of Norfolk-street

The 17th century list of London Cutlers has Isabel Robinson 1645 and Elizabeth Robinson 1650, Anne Gardner 1684, Bridget Sergeant 1664, Elizabeth Kettlebuter 1664 (what a great name!)

Salisbury cutlers list Jane Botly 1838 and Jane Price 1838-39,

If you have a chance to read Tweedale’s Directory of Cutlery Manufacturers 1740-2013, a striking feature is how many woman maintained cutlery firms. There are many example, such as Mary Heathcote who in 1856 sold “All kinds of Fancy Pen and Pocket Cutlery”, or Mary Milner listed between 1833-45 as a pen knife manufacturer in Balm Green who kept alive her deceased husbands business in order for her sons to eventually inherit the trade in the late 1840s. Or there was Luisa Barnes who in 1841 was listed as a “30 year old cutler” and who in 1851 employed 15 men and 4 boys.

Some cutlery jobs were the preserves of woman, such as buffing (polishing). In 1893 at Dixon’s Cornish Place Works, a silver-plate trade, 296 women were employed, not far shy of the 308 men an 66 boys employed. In Herbert Horsley’s “back to the Grindstone” he scribes the buffer lass as such “A rare and colorful breed: jolly lasses, earthy characters invariably full of life but always lovable. If they earned good money it was because they deserved it, for they were both skillful and very hardworking.” He pictures Mary Buckingham who at her retirement in 1989 at the age of 73 had spent 58 years working in the cutlery trade.

Interestingly, a Mrs. Buckingham worked for the American Shear & Knife Co. (1853-1914) of Hotchkissville, CT for 26 years. In a 1938 interview she says “Women in the knife shops? Oh, yes, there was about ten of ’em over in Hotchkissville. We used to clean, and pack the knives, little jobs like that……The girls didn’t get much money. Paid by the month. Some of them get about twenty five cents a day. I remember the first month I worked I made eight dollars and fifteen cents. I gave it to my mother and she gave me a quarter to buy candy with and I had to make it last until the next payday, too.”

Other women have been involved in a symbolic way, take for example the passing in 1909 of Karl Elsener’s mother, Victoria Elsener-Ott. Karl Elsener adopted her name in her memory as his trademark, VICTORIA, and upon use of stainless steel by this firm, we get the name VICTORINOX. In other types, such as the picture handled celluloid variety of knives, many un-named women graced the handles, likely a strong reason for the success of this type of knife.

More recently, Jennie Moore in 2012 became the first woman in the U.S. to be named the president of a major knife company, Queen Cutlery of Titusville, PA, the oldest operating knife factory in America. Then of course there is the ever impressive work of Charlotte Goins who along with her husband John, produced Goins’ Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings.

If you have any information or knives made by, for, collected by, inspired by or otherwise relating to women in cutlery please post them here.

[Beechtree]

An interesting Ames Cutlery Co. (1829-1935) ivory handled "Lady's Knife"

The 1923 Maher & Grosh catalog cut shows a similar knife known as "The School Teachers Friend"

[Beechtree]

This is an example of Edward (or Edmond) and John Milner's work. As mentioned their mother Mary was listed in 1833-45 as a pen knife manufacturer. She apparently kept the cutlery business going after her husbands death (last listed in 1825?) until her sons John and Edmund could take over the business. J&E's partnership was a short one, likely from 1849-1853.

[Beechtree]

Here is an 1887 advertisement from a women's magazine. It shows some of the knives that were being marketed towards women.
Here is an example by Ames Cutlery, an ivory handled congress knife.

[Beechtree]

Here is a seldom seen pattern. It came with this mother of pearl nail buff and originally would have had a few other implements to make a set, like a glove hook or a cuticle knife. I don't have an official name, but it would have served to clean or cut nails or thread and the like. Possibly the name thread knife will do. The long tail projection is similar to a budding knife, but much more delicate. This one was made by Brooks & Crooks of Sheffield (1858-1947).

[wiseguy]

Good topic Beechtree , lets not forget Schrade marketed their knives as " no more broken nails" I`m thinking that was meant for the Lady customers, They were also sold in sewing kits & such.

[Quick Steel]

Thank you for this too little known history and the photos of historical knives.

[Beechtree]

Thanks Wiseguy, great point. I think you are right. And, your Presto Girl Scout knife would illustrate that nicely ( I can't remember but I thought it was you who had posted a nicely etched girl scout)

Glad you like it Quick Steel

[wiseguy]

That was member "ScoutKnives" Girlscout knife with etch shown recently ,,,,,, mine has no etch

( I can't remember but I thought it was you who had posted a nicely etched girl scout)

Glad you like it Quick Steel

[RobesonsRme.com]

One of several Robeson patterns intended for the ladies. A good many had these "Rose Pearl" handles.

I think it was Levine that noted the significant presence of women in Sheffield that were involved with the grinding, polishing, engraving, etc of genuine pearl and the disastrous effect it had on their health.

I suspect most of those widows you listed lost their husbands to "grinder's consumption" or exploding wheels.

Charlie

[smiling-knife]

Intersting post. This knife was made a few years ago by a Sheffield Cutler named Grace Horne. Her many talents include knife, scissor, and corset making.

[Beechtree]

Lovely knife Charlie, the rose pearl is stunning.

SK, Grace is obviously a very talented individual. I like the slim blade shape.

[Beechtree]

Here is a stylish dirk that dates between 1830-1837. The 4" double edged blade makes this simply a defensive or offensive weapon, likely being marketed toward women interested in self defense. It has a lovely carved ivory handle. The sheath is a red moroccan leather over pasteboard, it is missing its tip. The ferrule looks to be silver and the guard is nickel. The blade is stamped W (crown) R Marshes & Shephard Sheffield. The W (crown) R indicates this as being made during William IV reign from 1830-1837. Marshes and Shepherd operated from the late 1820s until 1850 when it became Marsh Brothers & Co.

[knife7knut]

Here is a seldom seen pattern. It came with this mother of pearl nail buff and originally would have had a few other implements to make a set, like a glove hook or a cuticle knife. I don't have an official name, but it would have served to clean or cut nails or thread and the like. Possibly the name thread knife will do. The long tail projection is similar to a budding knife, but much more delicate. This one was made by Brooks & Crooks of Sheffield (1858-1947).

I believe that is a letter opener on the end. I have a couple of those(one in pearl;the other in tortoise & ivory)that served as quill knives. The longer ones served as "folding bones" for constructing envelopes(before pre-made ones were available).
Back on subject: We also can't neglect to mention all the great women knife makers and scrimshanders who are currently plying their trade. Judy Gottage from Michigan(along with her husband Dante)is one of the finest knifemakers around;especially when it comes to automatic knives.There are many out there too numerous to mention.

[Beechtree]

Great post K7K, no we cannot forget. I was going to mention, the scimshanders Linda Karst and Sandy Brady.

As for the paper knife aspect, respectfully, I have to say I don't think so as this is the second one I have seen that came with other manicuring accoutrements. I have one paper folding knife but it is a much thicker implement, being quite sturdy. This only measures 3.5" in total and the thickest part of the extension (closest to the spring) is only 1mm, tapering down to about the thickness of a fingernail at the tip. The paper knife I have (I will try to post it) is more like the size of a letter opener measuring 6.75"

[knife7knut]

Great post K7K, no we cannot forget. I was going to mention, the scimshanders Linda Karst and Sandy Brady.

As for the paper knife aspect, respectfully, I have to say I don't think so as this is the second one I have seen that came with other manicuring accoutrements. I have one paper folding knife but it is a much thicker implement, being quite sturdy. This only measures 3.5" in total and the thickest part of the extension (closest to the spring) is only 1mm, tapering down to about the thickness of a fingernail at the tip. The paper knife I have (I will try to post it) is more like the size of a letter opener measuring 6.75"

It could very well be a cuticle pusher although they usually have a slight curve to the blade going across.

[Beechtree]

Here is a cuticle pusher that I have (on right).

Next are two balisong style knives. They are both marked what looks like T & Cif PARIS BREVETE SGDG (the latter meaning Patented). They look a lot like the knives made by Bontgen and Sabin and possibly would be a contract. The one with genuine tortoise shell handles is 3" long and possibly could have come in a case with a pair of balisong style scissors that would have been good for sewing. The other measures 3 5/8" and has ivory handles marked CHAMPAGNE CHAMPION, indicating it would have been used for cutting through wire on a champaign bottle.

The third photo shows a comparison to a robust ivory budding knife made by H&B, compared to what I called a thread knife posted earlier.

[ea42]

Women have always played an integral part in the cutlery industry, I've worked with a number of them, and it was an honor to work with each of them. Here's a shot of a woman who worked the buff in Sheffield. A most unforgiving job that was messy, dusty, and beat fingers and joints to death. I'm sure her pay was no where near enough to compensate for the toll it took on her hands. By the way that newspaper apron might seem comical, but believe it or not that's still used in this day and age, when you can actually find newspaper:

Eric

[Beechtree]

Fantastic photo and insights Eric. Where in the Cutlery industry did you work?

[Miller Bro's]

Here's a little ladies buttonhook knife.

[Beechtree]

Awesome! I love hart escutcheons. The nickel silver against the ebony makes that one eye grabbing knife

[tongueriver]

Fascinating reading. Gusty Wallihan didn't make knives, but she sure as hell used them.
"Standing over one of her many trophy mule deer, subsistence-and-sport huntress “Gusty” Wallihan appears every inch the frontier matron with her dressy bonnet, prairie-pattern cartridge belt, floral-embroidered gauntlets, hunting knife, and Remington-Hepburn rifle. Photo c1895."

[bestgear]

YouTube has a five-part drama documentary about the lives of some of the women who worked as buffers, polishing cutlery and silver in Sheffield. It was filmed in old cutlery works and domestic settings as the film follows a group of buffers from 1928 to the present including archive footage and songs. Here's a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGpTB89hE7Y

[Miller Bro's]

Awesome! I love hart escutcheons. The nickel silver against the ebony makes that one eye grabbing knife

Thanks it's a beautiful petite knife, the thing that amazes me is the tiny nail nick on the buttonhook blade!

[tongueriver]

Awesome! I love hart escutcheons. The nickel silver against the ebony makes that one eye grabbing knife

Thanks it's a beautiful petite knife, the thing that amazes me is the tiny nail nick on the buttonhook blade!

Yes, it is a beautiful knife. I missed that detail. Everything about it is just lovely.