All About Pocket Knives

I have a millerbros knife. Tang marked millerbros over Meriden over usa. Bone handle very early I think. Pics inc. Can anyone tell me what it is, age and value?

Welcome to the forum johnduncan78.
You have a nice budding knife. Spey blade and smooth bone handle.
Miller Bros. ended cutlery production in 1926. So it's 90+ years old at least.
I have no idea of it's value.
Show us more of your knives.

That's really nice! The integral covered ones are not as common, IMO.

Nice knife and good brand,but not many collect that pattern.

I am not sure what is meant by "integral covered ones" but this style of bud grafting knife with spey blade set into one piece of ivory is common to vintage Sheffield knives. However i think it was rarely made in USA which i think is what Glenn is saying with "integral covered"
I have quite a few vintage British ones and none are bone. I think yours might be an ivory handle (yes with brown spots).
kj

The more I look at it the more I think it may be ivory. There is no "grain" like bone has. I kinda hate to put it on ebay as I fear it won't bring it's value. Do you think a value of say $50 is fair? I can start the bidding there I guess.

I'd guess more than that. Not sure of eBays policy on selling ivory handled knives, may not be allowed.

If you advertise it as ivory, ebay will remove it as being a "banned item". I would try and sell it privately to a collector. nice old knife! I have an old jig bone Hibbart Spencer and Bartlett that I bought in 2008 at a gun show, not sure if the guy knew what he had, ($10) Terry

I bought an unused etched Maher & Grosh one a couple of years ago for about $25.It was exactly like yours because it was made by Miller Brothers.If you put it on EBay in a true auction it will likely bring what it is worth.

Terry your bud grafter is extremely rare. I collect these and i have never before seen one with jigged bone handles.
Not many people collect these so the value is likely not that high even though it is rare.
jd78, your knife has value based on Miller Bros. branding; i.e. there are enough collectors of Miller Bros knives to push price up.
kj

KJ, I bought it because it was "unique' and I like old jig bone, It was in my price range too! LOL, Maybe I should buy the OP knife and start a collection of 2. Terry

Quote: "If you put it on EBay in a true auction it will likely bring what it is worth"
"likely" is the operative word here says the Bottom Fisher.
If you have 3 examples and list them separately then the average price would almost always be market value. A single listing flies under the radar often enough to support a a bunch of bottom fishers.
And to jd78: on ebay usually the higher the opening bid, the lower the final selling price.
kj

Terry, i had thought that bone is not thick enough to use for this pattern. Bone has marrow in the center and the outer bone section is curved. Ivory is solid so it is easy to find a suitable piece.
When you have time i would like to see a picture from above looking directly down onto open 'edge' & well of knife ("edge' = opposite from spine). Ya know what i mean, so i can see thickness.
kj

My guess is that it is bone - the marks on the handle in my opinion are remnants of the canals in bone... smooth bone can look different depending on how it is cut.. I am not seeing any grain reminiscent of ivory and while that can be due to plane of the cut I just don't think so in this case... just my opinion... Kj - I think the bone is thick enough - look at the second photo with a top down view. I've seen folders with thicker bone ....

KJ - I think Glen meant "integral" as the handles are all one piece including the spud on the back end.... like integral liners meaning a liner that is one piece with the pivot bolster.... I do believe on these budding/grafting knives these handles incorporating the spud as one piece were referred to as integral covers..

I like horticultural knives - I would be interested if the price was right and in agreement with Roger these don't bring high prices...

KJ, It measures 3/8" thick, 4" long and 1/2" wide at the hinge. It is made out of one solid piece of bone (hence intergral). see photos Terry

OP knife appears to me to be bone, not Ivory. JMO.

Ken

Thanks Terry, so looks about 3/8" thick. Am i reading it correctly ? That is quite thick for piece of bone ? maybe not, i'm think human bones. Cows likely are thicker.
I will find & measure some of my ivory ones but i think they are about the same as your bone example.
kj

I have several English made ones-ixl is latest -all ivory--this type of grafting knife is made to trim and hold split open while you stick graft in pre-cut plant..elephant ivory has a buttery feel-you cant mistake for bone...value-I paid 20 dollars for last one (in good shape) at flea mkt..i don't know anyone who collects grafting knives(no demand) I DO KNOW PEOPLE THAT COLLECT IVORY KNIVES..ps-i guess elephants jam ivory in wood--I'm sticking mine in a safe..

alabama wrote:..i don't know anyone who collects grafting knives(no demand) ..

I do

terryl308 wrote:If you advertise it as ivory, ebay will remove it as being a "banned item". I would try and sell it privately to a collector. nice old knife! I have an old jig bone Hibbart Spencer and Bartlett that I bought in 2008 at a gun show, not sure if the guy knew what he had, ($10) Terry

Wow! That's a beauty Terry

Miller Bro's wrote:

alabama wrote:..i don't know anyone who collects grafting knives(no demand) ..

I do

Me too - just can't get enough of them ...

come to think of it-I may collect them myself-I have a horn one besides the ivory..