Old Rope Knives

[danno50]

That is a beauty, Lee!

[LongBlade]

Thanks Dan ...

[RobesonsRme.com]

Lee, that’s a great Miller Bros. Congrats.

I donated one in similar condition, many years ago, to the Maritime Museum, housed in the old Customs Building In Newburyport, Massachusetts.

My great, great grandfather left Newburyport in the 1830’s and came South. Sarah and I attended a knife show in Waterbury in 1997 and then went to Newburyport afterward. The museum did not have a sailor’s rope knife on display, so I bought them one at the next knife show I attended and sent it to them with an explanatory letter.

Interestingly, about six years later, I received a letter from them stating they had found the knife and letter, still in its mailing packaging, behind a filing cabinet. They had lost it and it had never been put on display.

I have no idea what they did with it after that. We have not been back up there since.

Charlie Noyes

[LongBlade]

Thank you Charlie ...

Very interesting that your great great grandfather was from Newburyport MA in the 1830s prior to Alabama. It was kind of you to donate that knife! I find it abit disturbing that the package was lost on their premises for 6 years ... Anyway I would hope they still put it on display. If I am up that way I will stop at that Maritime Museum which is one I have never visited. Maybe I will see that Miller Bros rope knife in a display case which would be a good ending to the story ...

[RobesonsRme.com]

My English Congregationalist ancestor was one of the founders of Newbury, Mass in 1634. Newbury was up on "The Green" from the Merrimack River and eventually, the agrarian based Newbury and the seafaring/ship-building based portion on the river separated, creating Newburyport. West Newbury was a later spinoff.

My great, great grandfather and a younger brother left the area in the 1830's and went to Florida to serve in the Seminole wars. Don't know what happened to the younger brother, but Alonzo Brown Noyes became a merchant, The Master of Lights and Collector of Customs at St Marks and Fernandina.

He was a Confederate Major in quartermaster/supplies, apparently a non-combatant role.

We ended up in Birmingham as my grandfather sought different machinist work during hard times.

I would really like to know if they ever did anything with the knife. The reason they contacted me was they wanted a value, so they could issue me a tax deduction. I never answered their letter.

Charlie

[LongBlade]

Very interesting family history Charlie - thanks for sharing it!

[LongBlade]

This was one of the stories where out of the blue a pair of knives popped up around the same time but actually 2 different sellers – and not eBay either … Got lucky finding this more rare little brother of the larger Miller Bros Rope knife (4 3/4”) posted just above… This 4 1/8” smaller version (not a sailors knife which also sported a manicure blade) is no doubt harder to find than the larger MB rope knives. Both knives have jigged bone but note the difference in the color and jigging… I was lucky to find this smaller version with the lanyard ring, perfect bone, strong spring and decent blade that no doubt saw action… Both Miller Bros Rope knives are in last photo… I was quite happy in the end to score the pair …

[KAW]

Well I have had this one on my list for a long time but was searching for the right one in terms of condition, price etc... yesterday the stars aligned in the "hunt" including selling a knife which made this possible ...

It's the age of Aquarius! While I have yet to add one to my collection... I'm enjoying looking at yours!
It may be small... but top notch! .... definitely the far better way to do it than the other way around...

[gsmith7158]

Wow, that's quite a pair Lee! Congratulations.

[doglegg]

Lee, very impressive.

[FRJ]

What a beautiful, smaller, knife, Lee.
Great show.

[LongBlade]

Thanks Ken, Greg, doglegg and Joe ... I can check these off my "list" now ... ..

[Pile Driver]

My English Congregationalist ancestor was one of the founders of Newbury, Mass in 1634. Newbury was up on "The Green" from the Merrimack River and eventually, the agrarian based Newbury and the seafaring/ship-building based portion on the river separated, creating Newburyport. West Newbury was a later spinoff.

My great, great grandfather and a younger brother left the area in the 1830's and went to Florida to serve in the Seminole wars. Don't know what happened to the younger brother, but Alonzo Brown Noyes became a merchant, The Master of Lights and Collector of Customs at St Marks and Fernandina.

He was a Confederate Major in quartermaster/supplies, apparently a non-combatant role.

We ended up in Birmingham as my grandfather sought different machinist work during hard times.

I would really like to know if they ever did anything with the knife. The reason they contacted me was they wanted a value, so they could issue me a tax deduction. I never answered their letter.

Charlie

It's been interesting reading your last few responses Charlie, I have been by this museum dozens of times but never inside. I will have to stop in sometime. I live halfway between Boston and Newburyport.

[JohnR]

This was one of the stories where out of the blue a pair of knives popped up around the same time but actually 2 different sellers – and not eBay either … Got lucky finding this more rare little brother of the larger Miller Bros Rope knife (4 3/4”) posted just above… This 4 1/8” smaller version (not a sailors knife which also sported a manicure blade) is no doubt harder to find than the larger MB rope knives. Both knives have jigged bone but note the difference in the color and jigging… I was lucky to find this smaller version with the lanyard ring, perfect bone, strong spring and decent blade that no doubt saw action… Both Miller Bros Rope knives are in last photo… I was quite happy in the end to score the pair …

Mark Side DSCN0756.JPG

Pile Side DSCN0781.JPG

Blade Open DSCN0808 2.JPG

Tang Stamp DSCN0864.JPG

Lg & Sm MB Rope Knives DSCN0836.JPG

Congratulations on a great find on that smaller Miller Bros Lee, very hard to find that one and in very nice condition.

[LongBlade]

Thanks John ...

[djknife13]

Great find Lee. I didn't know the smaller one existed. ____Dave

[LongBlade]

Thanks Dave ... I didn’t know about the smaller version either until not long ago - there just doesn’t seem to be many around and don’t think they made them in the numbers of the larger one... Levine notes in the 1998 3rd edition that the small one is more rare and he put a higher price tag on it as well...

[RobesonsRme.com]

You know, the "small one" isn't exactly small. It's still over four inches, way larger than the two blade WWI knives.

I think the so-called "Naval Jacks", regardless of maker or country of origin, are really impressive knives.

Charlie

[danno50]

Great find, Lee! Nice to have the pair.

[LongBlade]

Thanks Charlie and Dan ...

Charlie - as you say not a small knife but given the length and girth of the larger (4 3/4”) MB it is smaller on a relative basis ...

[kootenay joe]

I have not been following this rope knife thread but did just win a Miller Bros 4 3/4" Rope knife. It does not have the eyelet? that is screwed into the handle end. I do not yet have this knife so i don't know if it had this feature. These pics are the seller's. It does look similar to the Miller Bros Rope knives shown in Mike Silvey's Pocket Knives of U.S. Military so i think it is 'correct' even though i have very little experience with this brand. Please comment if you think otherwise.
thanks, kj

[LongBlade]

KJ - if you look above and search this thread there are a few examples of the Miller Bros 4 3/4” rope knife. They all originally had the brass lanyard ring but many snapped off which I would bet happened with your example. Your knife looks fine and not cobbled - bone is abit worn but seems right - again see examples above. Your stamp is different than mine but is a Miller Bros stamp often used - I see less with my knife stamped “Miller Bro’s” and your stamp is a common Miller Bros stamp seen often. Hope that helps my friend and nice knife ...

[kootenay joe]

Thanks Lee. The markings are identical to the same Rope knife shown in Mike Silvey's book. I did not know that all had the 'lanyard ring' attachment.
Perhaps this is why i got this one for well under $100 ? Still, it looks like a nice example. Snap was stated as "o.k." which usually means a bit slow and weak. I will see if clean & lube of joint helps once it has arrived.
kj

[JohnR]

Picked up this WW2 Camillus rope knife, they are really common but this one is interesting in that it is unused and has a thick lanyard attached to it. The lanyard is probably twice as thick as the lanyard that came on the later ones with the can opener.
I think I read one time that these knives were packed in life boats and life rafts, I would think they would have a lanyard but I have never seen another.

[doglegg]

You know, the "small one" isn't exactly small. It's still over four inches, way larger than the two blade WWI knives.

I think the so-called "Naval Jacks", regardless of maker or country of origin, are really impressive knives.

Charlie

Charlie, we have two things in common, respect for J Sidlow Baxter and an appreciation for "Naval Jacks".