All About Pocket Knives

My buddy Sundog picked this up recently and asked me to see what I could find about it. It is single blade, 3" long OAL, blade is non magnetic, handle material is MOP, and the only markings are what is stamped on the blade. I did some looking at English hallmarks and have not found anything to match, although it is somewhat difficult to determine what the markings are. I see a lion, the lower case letter e, what may be the makers initials, W N, but what do the others mean?

O.C. Those are English hallmarks. I believe the WN indicates the silver smith co of William Nowell. The lion passant indicates the city of Sheffield. The small e I believe is the date stamp. The other symbols are for the assay office that approved the piece and the other should be for the particular smith that fashioned the piece.

Means the blade is sterling silver or it would not have these hallmarks.
kj

gsmith7158 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 05, 2021 6:35 pm O.C. Those are English hallmarks. I believe the WN indicates the silver smith co of William Nowell. The lion passant indicates the city of Sheffield. The small e I believe is the date stamp. The other symbols are for the assay office that approved the piece and the other should be for the particular smith that fashioned the piece.

So in this Sheffield chart from Bruce Voyles book, with the type of lower case "e" would the date be 1828? Or am I not reading this correctly?

I have found this website quite useful for figuring out British hallmarks:

https://silvermakersmarks.co.uk/index.htm

I believe that's correct O.C. Can you tell if that 1st mark is the profile of a person? If so then it may be a duty mark indicating that the taxes had been paid to the crown. It should be king George the lV.

gsmith7158 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 05, 2021 7:27 pm I believe that's correct O.C. Can you tell if that 1st mark is the profile of a person? If so then it may be a duty mark indicating that the taxes had been paid to the crown. It should be king George the lV.

Now that you mention it, it could be a person. That is the mark I found the most confusing, but it could be a person.

OLDE CUTLER wrote: ↑Fri Nov 05, 2021 7:49 pm

gsmith7158 wrote: ↑Fri Nov 05, 2021 7:27 pm I believe that's correct O.C. Can you tell if that 1st mark is the profile of a person? If so then it may be a duty mark indicating that the taxes had been paid to the crown. It should be king George the lV.

Now that you mention it, it could be a person. That is the mark I found the most confusing, but it could be a person.

It could be. William and John Nowill were a father-son team in in Sheffield circa 1825-1845

A very sweet old fruit knife OC.

I have a little book somewhere...it tells all these English ...mostly London made Silver fruit knife stamps...year made, manufacturer and location...it is still available used...if I get a better picture...I try to get you some info!

As always, click to enlarge.

Great post Jerry. Those 3 'charts' can ID every sterling silver blade made in Britain as to maker and year.
kj

I also want to participate in the conversation.
According to the hallmarks:
"Profile of George V" — tax stamp on silver items;
"Crown" — Sheffield Assay Office;
"e" in a square with corners cut off — 1828;
"Walking Lion" — 925 sterling silver;
"W N" — stamp (1827–1844) of William Noville (in partnership with John Noville) fruit knife merchant in Meadow Street, Sheffield.