An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

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LongBlade
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An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by LongBlade »

Many of you are familiar with Aaron Burkinshaw and his knife “legacy” including that collection of Burkinshaw knives that sold last at auction for approximately $91K :shock:

In brief for those members not familiar – Aaron Burkinshaw (1814-1881) apprenticed in Sheffield and emigrated to the US in 1848… According to Tweedale and Phil P's book on New England Cutleries his first few years he worked along side other Sheffield cutlers for Waterville Mfg Co Waterbury and later started a shop in Buryville CT in 1853. In 1856 he left Buryville CT and moved to Pepperell MA where he formed another Burkinshaw Cutlery Shop - old photos indicates it looked like a big old house. He remained there until his death in 1881 but his sons who were involved in the business continued the cutlery in Pepperell until approximately 1920 (Stamp – A Burkinshaw Sons following 1881). The Burkinshaw Cutlery was not anywhere near the size of the major cutlery firms of the time (egs, Miller Bros, Empire etc) but he was known for quality cutlery and to my eye produced many knives classic of the Sheffield style. According to their old ads Hortiucltural knives were no doubt one of their specialties.

This ebony handled Burkinshaw Hawkbill was capped and 4 & ¾” closed. It sported a rat-tailed bolster as well as integrated liners and bolsters – the latter suggesting pre-1860. The blade has no doubt seen use with a few metal mite bites on the cutting edge but it is solid – snaps like a bear trap and as tight as the day it left the shop. Though abit stained and worn the blade has the etch “A Burkinshaw” with the same mark side tang stamp. I have not seen many Burkinshaw knives with a blade etch.

Now the interesting part involves the pile side tang stamp – see the last photo. I understand from a few well known collectors that the pile side mark was the sign of a very early Burkinshaw made knife – perhaps as early as Sheffield but most likely when he first arrived in the US though some believe it was the same mark he used in Sheffield for his knives. I have never seen this pile side stamp on any Burkinshaw but 2 separate collectors told me that it is no doubt one of his early knives and perhaps even made by him given the pile side stamp - no factual backup for that speculation other than the pile side stamp. So the question is - has anybody else seen a similar pile side stamp on a Burkinshaw knife?? It appears to be 2 symbols and not easy to describe so again looking at the photo would be best. As an aside I do know some of his knives had "Pain" and Exile" among the stamps used but never have seen or heard about this symbolic pile side stamp.

Thanks for looking and any comments etc… (and I’ll post it over in Knife Lore under the Horticultural thread but wanted to see if there was any other info as to the pile side stamp)…
DSCN4889 Closed Mark Side.JPG
DSCN4908 Open Mark Side.JPG
DSCN4922 2 Blade Etch.JPG
DSCN4940 Tang Stamp Mark Side.JPG
DSCN4931 Tang Stamp Pile Side.JPG
Thanks again!
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Lee
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FRJ
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by FRJ »

Lee,
I wish I could help you out with the stamp but all I know about Burkinshaw I learned from you. :lol:

That is a fine looking old knife.
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by knife7knut »

A beautiful old knife! Thanks for posting the history too. I remember reading Phil Pankewicz's book(got a signed copy of it from the NCCA show many years ago)and he had a good write up of Burkinshaw.
I only have one Burkinshaw knife;a small pearl two blade tuxedo that unfortunately has a broken pen blade. It looks like it may have been a flaw in the steel as it has never been sharpened and is highly polished as the day I got it. Strangely just the pen blade has the arced Burkinshaw stamp;the master blade has no stamp and looks like it might have been ground away at the factory. If you don't mind I will post a couple of pictures of it.
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AaronBurkinshaw2BladePearlTuxedo1 001.jpg
AaronBurkinshaw2BladePearlTuxedo1 002.jpg
AaronBurkinshaw2BladePearlTuxedo1 003.jpg
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LongBlade
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by LongBlade »

Thanks Joe and K7Knut ::tu:: ::tu:: ... much appreciated!

I guess the real question for me is that pile side symbolic stamp ::nod:: ... just may shed some more light on the background and history of the knife.... no doubt I think it is rare (which no way equates with value) but would love to know from an historical standpoint :)
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by Miller Bro's »

LongBlade wrote:So the question is - has anybody else seen a similar pile side stamp on a Burkinshaw knife?? It appears to be 2 symbols and not easy to describe so again looking at the photo would be best. As an aside I do know some of his knives had "Pain" and Exile" among the stamps used but never have seen or heard about this symbolic pile side stamp.
Yes, I have seen it several times and I am sure I have one squirreled away somewhere. I also have them with the "Exile" and "Pain" stamping. I was also fortunate enough to physically examine that knife display that sold for $91k.

I chased Burkinshaw knives for many years and collected quite a few along the way, they are fairly hard to find but I don't buy them anymore. The knife you have is an old one and IMO was made here in the US.

As to the symbols on the tang the one on the left is a crescent moon the one on the right is a star. It is well known that Aaron Burkinshaw was a member of the Odd Fellows, IOOF, so we're his son's. You won't find this in any books but it is my opinion that those two symbols were part of the secret language they used to communicate and they had a specific meaning of which I have no idea. I knew a couple members of that group and they will disclose nothing about any of it.

Nice find Lee, hope this helps ::handshake::
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LongBlade
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by LongBlade »

Thanks Dimitri ::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu:: ::handshake:: ... Great info and much appreciated!!! Really interesting info about the "Odd Fellows"... very cool!! Indeed Burkinshaw knives are not easy to find... That is too cool that you got to examine that collection of Burkinshaws... I would really enjoy, to say the least, to look at those knives up close in hand... I am sure lots to be learned ::nod:: !!
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by dcgm4 »

Very cool knife, Lee. Great history behind that one! ::tu::
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Always looking for vintage knives with Virginia, Maryland, or Washington D.C. tang stamps. Any condition.
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by galvanic1882 »

Great hawk you have there!!!
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by LongBlade »

Thanks Dave and Mike ::tu:: ::tu:: ... I really love old knives with some interesting historical perspective!!
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by deo-pa »

Here is a photo of the Burkinshaw collection. You can read more here: viewtopic.php?t=10597&start=75.

Notice all the blades are open. So much for the bugaboo about opening two blades at once.

Dennis
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glennbad
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by glennbad »

Pepperell, MA, huh? Why can't I find any of those around here, Lee? :lol:

Excellent little bit of research on your part, now another obscure brand I'll have to keep an eye out for. ::tu::
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by dcgm4 »

deo-pa wrote:Here is a photo of the Burkinshaw collection. You can read more here: viewtopic.php?t=10597&start=75.

Notice all the blades are open. So much for the bugaboo about opening two blades at once.

Dennis
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Dave

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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by knife7knut »

deo-pa wrote:Here is a photo of the Burkinshaw collection.

Notice all the blades are open. So much for the bugaboo about opening two blades at once.

Dennis
Notice that all the blades are FULLY open;not paused at the half open position where the strain on the back spring is at it's maximum. I have no problem with this scenario but I do have a problem with opening two blades to the half open position that are on the same back spring.
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by montemojo »

Great looking knife, theres alot of information here as well. Thanks to everybody, now I need to read it a few times.

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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by luckynailblacksmith »

Does anyone know who bought the burkinshaw knife collection?
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Re: An Interesting Burkinshaw Hawkbill

Post by riverdive »

Yes it is rare AAPK doesn't even have it in their brand list... ::cb::
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