Yelling House co?

[Clark23]

Can anyone shine some info in this particular maker, researched to not find anything. This is such a tiny knife as you can see w/ possible ivory handles, pinched bolsters, brass liners.

[doglegg]

Looks like a quill knife. Used for cutting feathers used for writing before fountain pens.

[Clark23]

Looks like a quill knife. Used for cutting feathers used for writing before fountain pens.

Wow so this is much older than I anticipated, I am new to knives so the names of most I am still learning. I read where any genuine quill knife is least 170 years old, what I have looked up it seems to appear be a quill based on what others look like. Thank you very much for the info, I wish I could find more about the actual maker now

[Gunsil]

Definitely a quill knife, and the handles are smooth bone rather than ivory. Mark is not listed in Goins', likely an English product.

[Clark23]

Definitely a quill knife, and the handles are smooth bone rather than ivory. Mark is not listed in Goins', likely an English product.

Thank you very much Gunsil for the info, I seen any genuine quill knife can date back to least 1830 do you believe this is of that age or possibly sooner?

[Gunsil]

Without some info on the maker the actual date of the knife is impossible to determine. They were made at least into the 1860s, maybe later.

[Clark23]

Without some info on the maker the actual date of the knife is impossible to determine. They were made at least into the 1860s, maybe later.

Thank you Gunsil, my hopes its older. I seen where most disappeared around 1830’s because the invention of the fountain pen? I believe it was.

[Gunsil]

Well, I have one from my family that by the maker's mark wasn't made until 1852. Also, just because pens were invented doesn't mean all folks went to them immediately. Remember the early steel pens were still dip and write instruments, they did not write any faster than quill pens, and quills were free. Cartridge firearms came out in the 1860s, but muzzle loaders were still used widely for another fifty years. I don't understand why some folks wish for things to be "older", they are what they are and age does not equate rarity or value. Cool little knife.