Old Pruning and Horticultural Knives

[JohnR]

Picked up this Schrade Cut Co grafting knife this week, blade is a flat grind on one side.

[58chevy348]

Any ideas about this one? It arrived in a lot of very early knives and parts (several were from England). Tang is marked "igrow" and "No 103." I haven't been able to find another example in all of my research. Has brass spud.

[Miller Bro's]

Old Ibberson.....

[FRJ]

Very nice tool, Dimitri.
Is the hawkbill thick and beveled at the spine on the pile side?
Sort of looks like that - top view.

[Miller Bro's]

Thank you Joe!

It's the same as the mark side

[LongBlade]

Dimitri - Awesome unique horticultural knife and a well respected Sheffield maker ... I really like the combination of the clipper with hawkbill - what a handy knife that would be working the garden ...

[RobesonsRme.com]

Dimitri, look inside the liners on the Ibberson and see if Stan Shaw’s initials and a date number are there.

He was the maker of that pattern and I think he has made them under his own brand, as well.

Charlie

[Miller Bro's]

One of the first things I did Charlie when I bought it, unfortunately no such luck

[Miller Bro's]

Dimitri - Awesome unique horticultural knife and a well respected Sheffield maker ... I really like the combination of the clipper with hawkbill - what a handy knife that would be working the garden ...

Thanks Lee! Yeah those Englishmen were pretty clever and they loved gardening!

[RobesonsRme.com]

I think Stan Shaw still makes these, but getting one would be pretty difficult.

Charlie

[LongBlade]

I think Stan Shaw still makes these, but getting one would be pretty difficult.

Charlie

You probably know this Charlie and Dimitri as well but for others - Stan Shaw is indeed an amazing cutler - I believe one of the last "master" cutlers in Sheffield - in his 90s and still at the bench making beautiful knives - he supposedly has a 4 year wait list for his knives - God bless him!!!

[wlf]

Nice knives John and Dimitri

[Miller Bro's]

Thanks Lyle

Here's a hard stamp to find.

[LongBlade]

Wow - Aweome Dimitri ... That is indeed an interesting stamp and knife - a stamp I haven't ever heard before and I thought I knew most of the New England stamps - of course I don't and always am finding ones not listed in any reference so thanks so much for sharing this - I learned something new and that is great ... Love that aspect of collecting and history - you never stop learning

I know there is a Warren Anatomical Museum in Boston so I just did a quick search - while in fact that is a horticultural knife I believe it was used on cadaver's as well... This knife is not mine but found it online and for sale at $800 (not my pocket change in terms of buying it) but wanted to share this and truly hope you don't mind Dimitri but thought it would be of interest to share here in view of your knife - it was listed as a horticultural knife but was used as well for cadavers and anatomical investigation ... Truly cool ... I would love to have this knife for the collection (or your knife for that matter )

[Miller Bro's]

Thanks Lee!!

We actually discussed that knife about six years ago, Charlie found it for sale at the time for $2,000 , here's the link:

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=19895&start=240

I know there is a Warren Anatomical Museum in Boston so I just did a quick search - while in fact that is a horticultural knife I believe it was used on cadaver's as well...

Neither one of these knives have anything to do with cadavers both are horticultural knives. I have researched Warren's Museum Boston and I believe it is a different museum from the anatomical museum, just my opinion
If you find any other information about the museum I would like to know about it

[LongBlade]

Interesting Dimitri ... I can't seem to find any other museum called Warren's in Boston - so I assumed it was the Warren's Anatomical Museum... but indeed I agree with you that is looks like a classic horticultural knife for budding/grafting and a quite nice one at that... I was thinking it would have been a botanical museum and was surprised when the anatomical museum came up on the google search for Warren's - and indeed a great example of mis-information in print for advertising the knife and certainly points to not believing everything you read - I, for one, should have known better given the variety of surgical tools - why would they use a horticultural knife .... so who made the knife with that stamp is the question ... (PS - given the knife went from $2K to $800 during the last 6 years I think I will wait another 6 years for the price to come down lower )...

[Miller Bro's]

They googled the name and the only thing that they could find was the anatomical museum, so in true eBay fashion they concocted a good story to go along with the knife. The knife was relisted for many years always ending up not selling, I don't think they want to sell it that's why it's still $800.

Both of these knives were made in England on contract

[LongBlade]

Thanks Dimitri ... I'll keep searching for another Warren's Museum Boston .... Somebody must have contracted those knives with that name for a reason - and given both known examples are horticultural knives (at least based on this thread) there must be a connection to horticulture (botany or natural history or related possibilities)...

Whatever it is I can say one thing for sure - that knife was a great score for your collection ...

[RobesonsRme.com]

Maybe they were used in early experimental procedures involving the amputation and transplantation of anatomical limbs and grafting them onto other bodies.



Charlie

[LongBlade]

Maybe they were used in early experimental procedures involving the amputation and transplantation of anatomical limbs and grafting them onto other bodies.



Charlie

Dr Frankenstein must have had a few of those knives

[Miller Bro's]

Here's a giant.

[LongBlade]

Dimitri - you're pulling out all the stops now - That is nice large hawkbill - one heck of a blade Spring loaded? Or is that just a blade lock off the bolster?

Hope you don't mind me asking or guessing as to location of origin - Spanish or Eastern European? Or neither ... Interestingly I haven't seen many German hawkbills but that would not be my guess here ... How about dating of this big boy - early to mid 1900s?

To me I enjoy you sharing these for multiple reasons especially when I am seeing something different and an unknown - good way to learn and good to store away in the ol' noggin for future reference

[Miller Bro's]

Dimitri - you're pulling out all the stops now - That is nice large hawkbill - one heck of a blade Spring loaded? Or is that just a blade lock off the bolster?

Thanks Lee! No not spring loaded just a conventional back spring and that is a lock to keep it open.

Hope you don't mind me asking or guessing as to location of origin - Spanish or Eastern European? Or neither ... Interestingly I haven't seen many German hawkbills but that would not be my guess here ... How about dating of this big boy - early to mid 1900s?

Don't mind at all I welcome questions There are no marks on this knife at all but I have seen many with French and Spanish marks, so either one would be a good guess as to where it was made. As to a date pre 1930 is as close as I can get.

To me I enjoy you sharing these for multiple reasons especially when I am seeing something different and an unknown - good way to learn and good to store away in the ol' noggin for future reference

Lee, I am glad to share my collection on this forum and glad you are learning as I am sure many others are I also really appreciate the time you, and the handful of others, take to reply to just about every post someone makes in this forum

[wlf]

I have a French knife that Dimitri identified, he got lucky , that’s got a very hooked hawkbill.

[LongBlade]

Dimitri - .. Thanks again!! The sharing and knowledge is indeed appreciated by a number of us ...

Lyle - Given all the vineyards in France I can see a big need for hawkbills ... When I think about French knives I think most I have seen were horticultural and hawbills..