For Sale: Jos. Rodgers & Sons Ivory Senator

[kootenay joe]

3 1/4" four blade Senator with ivory handles and sunk joints. Marked "Sheffield" and "Her Majesty" indicating older than 1891. There are numbers in ink on back of master indicating this was once a sample knife for a salesman or in their show room.
The four blade Senator was the most expensive pattern a knife manufacturer made whether in Britain or USA. With ivory handles, this knife was top of the line for Jos. Rodgers.
There are pin cracks at 3 of the handle pins. I have owned this knife for many years and these cracks have not changed.
Price: $375, includes shipping.
If interested please send me a PM or email: rprocter@telus.net
kj

[deo-pa]

Not in my budget but man that is a wonderful knife! Remarkable condition, only diminished a little by the pin cracks.

Interesting how the mark side retains its pure white color while the pile side has yellowed with age. Wonder why? Maybe just an inherent difference in the ivory used or perhaps it could result from something like light exposure? I wonder if this expensive knife sat in the cutler's window for quite a while until the right Victorian gentleman came along.

Roland, I'm wondering why you indicated pre-1891. Queen Victoria died in 1901 so I would think it could be 10 years or so older. Of course it could just as likely be from earlier in her reign... say 1870s or 80s?

Dennis

[kootenay joe]

Dennis, there is no "England" under "Sheffield". Whatever the USA Act of 1891 is called, the result was that cutlery had to be marked with country of origin to be imported into USA. As USA was such a major market for Sheffield cutlery, pretty well all manufacturers began adding "England" to their stampings.
Hence, older than 1891.
If these pin cracks were not there it could be a $1500 knife, or more. There is no firm upper limit for the best vintage Jos. Rodgers knives.
It is the back side that has the more deeply colored ivory. Opposite of what you would expect if the darkening was from exposure to sunlight; i.e. if lying in a display case the front side would be up and exposed to light.
Could be just how it was hafted. BRL says the idea of matching handles is a recent one. He said old time cutlers simply looked for a nice piece of whatever natural material they were using for the front side and then looked for another nice piece for the back side; i.e. 2 nice pieces, no attempt to match. He was speaking of stag but the same would apply to ivory.
kj

[deo-pa]

Hence, older than 1891.

Thanks for the clarification Roland. I had assumed you were basing the date on Victoria's reign, having forgotten about the country of origin issue.

Also, I'm clearly in need of an education about knife values as I had no idea this could be a $1,500 knife if pristine. There are a handful of sold and unsold 19th Century Joseph Rodgers knives in the AAPK store in the $200 - $400 range so I had assumed maybe this one might be at the high end of that if not for the pin cracks. I've seen some Rodgers Bowies and dirks go in the neighborhood of $1,500, but didn't realize pocket knives might also be up in that range too. I should go back through some of the Voyles auctions and see what the gavel prices were for high-quality Rodgers pocket knives.

As always, your knives are exceptional and your knowledge is much appreciated.

Dennis

[kootenay joe]

Dennis do you have the book "Sheffield Exhibition Knives" by Claussen et al. ? The title is not fully accurate. Many of the knives shown were never "exhibition" knives. They were the high end of 'production' knives.
On page 212, upper left there is a Jos. Rodgers ivory Sportsmans knife. I bought it for $3000. I was nervous owning it because it is truly absolutely mint, identical to when it was made in 1906. I worried a spot of oxidation would happen on my watch. So after enjoying it's company for more than 10 years i sold it, for a profit.
There are 4 blade senators shown in that book that would sell for over $5,000. There are some folding knives shown that you would need over $10,000 to have a chance for. These are the finest knives ever made, up to and including right now. Finer than Tony Bose knife ($3500) or Ron Lake ($25,000).
It is a fantastic book. If you do not have a copy please get one. You will be amazed/enthralled for the rest of your life. Bill Claussen is nwknives on ebay and he has copies for sale.
kj

[deo-pa]

I do have that book Roland, though I confess I hadn't opened it in over a year. That ivory sportsman's knife on page 212 is a amazing... what a pleasure it must have been to handle that knife. (Though a bit of a burden as well worrying about oxidation on your watch.) Thumbing through that book is a useful reminder of what the great cutlers could accomplish.

I'll have to be satisfied admiring knives like those from afar, as I doubt I'll ever own one. That said, I get much joy and pleasure from my pretty decent collection of old, near-mint knives, more than a few of which I've bought from you. That's the great thing about knife collecting (I guess all collecting hobbies), we get the pleasure and pride of acquisition and ownership whatever our tastes and budget. Though unlike some collecting forums, it's nice to be part of a place (AAPK) where the $5 flea market find and the $5,000 exhibition knife are praised and celebrated.

Dennis

[Campbellclanman]

Really interesting- I will keep my eye out for that Book Roland.
Another Sheffield Book is of course Tweedale’s although it guest get into proving much but more the History which G Tweedale did a massive amount of Historical work and very much correct as well.
Nice knife Roland.