All About Pocket Knives

We are searching for a Joseph Rogers knife of the same model as described in an 1896 trial and that had belonged to my husband's great-grandfather. I will quote a few descriptive lines and post a photo of a JR knife that I believe matches the description.

We assume the knife was handed down within the family, or possibly given to the great-grandfather's brother-in-law since he had admired it. Having not found it within our current connections, we will see if we can find it with a matching provenance [a long shot I know!]

The great-grandfather had been murdered in north-central Ontario Canada just two days after leaving home to work on the the railroad construction. This knife was not used in the attack (!), but was entered into evidence, among other posessions, to identify the victim.

Here's the description in the questioning of the brother-in-law. Again the year was 1896.:

Q. Whose knife was that (Exhibit 12.)
A. [the victim's]. I wanted to trade [him] a knife for this a year ago last fall, and he would not trade with me he thought so much of it. I wanted to get the knife seeing it was a Joseph Rodgers knife, and I calculated it was a good one.

Q. In those days did it have the leather?
A. No

Q. Was there a hole in the handle?
A. Yes, and three bars there.

Q. And that is the knife?
A. That is the knife.

Q. And what did he have this leather lace in it for?
A. The leather lace was not in it when I saw it last.

Q. The only means of recognition you have are the hole in the end, and the three flutings on the other end?
A. Yes.

Q. And the fact that it is made by Joseph Rodgers?
A. Yes.

Q. Have you seen knives that were very much like this?
A. No, that is the only one I ever saw like that

[it was also mentioned that this was a larger knife compared to his smaller knife which was used for cutting tobacco].

The photo is an archived eBay posting on Worthpoint (2008 sold for $66).

Is there any other JR knife that knowledgeable collectors would think matches the description?

To help us search, what 'keywords' should we use - i.e. is this a pen knife or a utility knife, etc.? Where could we search besides eBay? (we live in Ontario)

Thanks for any information.

Sorry I can't be of much help but welcome to AAPK. There are some aficionados of the English knives and maybe one will happen by and be able to give you some information.

Meanwhile, if you use the search function just below the banner at the top of the page and search on "Rodgers" you will find page after page of references to Joseph Rodgers knives here at AAPK. I looked at a few but didn't see any like yours, but a more diligent search might turn up something.

You have a fascinating historical quest in front of you and I hope you will keep us up to date on whatever you find.

I have one like that which is not a Joseph Rodgers and is in my rework pile but if I come across one for a reasonable price I'll probably buy it anyway. I'm gathering all the English knives I can while I'm here. I'll keep you in mind while I'm out hunting for them.

Thanks to anyone who will keep an eye out for a knife of this description. We have hesitated to release too many details, in case a provenance be invented for a knife that may not be the actual one. However, we will collect any number of knives of this description so at least we have something that our ancestor found to be a 'favourite object'. I don't think we run the risk of finding too many!

The murder trial transcript gave us a lot of interesting information about this man, even his tattoos, that the younger generation is asking about... it would be nice to have some sort of 'show and tell' item. As well, if the knife does turn up in some lost branch of the family, we wouldn't expect it to be given up to us.

Please also keep an eye out for a JR knife that may not look like the one shown, but somehow match the description from the trial. But I think this looks like the one.