All About Pocket Knives

Here are a few pics of a late 1800s Joseph Rodgers & Co large gent’s knife I picked up a few weeks back. ( not to be confused with Joseph Rodgers & Sons ) Great condition for it’s age with pearl handles and some great file work. Measures 3.5” closed. Would love to see any other Jos. Rodgers & Co. knives anyone has.

Hey Sheff, the pics are not showing. I like Gent's knives so i hope you can figure out picture posting here.. I click on "attachments" then "file" then select pics i want that are saved in my computer.
kj

Thanks KJ! Pics should be there now.

BEAUTY!!!

I just finished reading the chapter on Joseph Rogers & Sons in Sheffield Exhibition Knives (recommended by kootenay joe...thank you, Roland...you were right, it is incredible!) and now I'm fascinated by JR&S knives. What is the difference between the JR & Sons vs. JR & Co. knives? I noticed a point of distinction was made in the title of this thread, but the book does not mention anything about Joseph Rogers & Co. branded knives.

Here's something from the book that I found particularly interesting:

In 1871 the partners were Joseph Rogers and Robert Newbold, respectively grandsons of the Joseph Rogers who died in 1821, and the business was converted into a limited company. The confidence of the public was such that the shares offered for subscription were privately subscribed in a few hours.

When I read this, I couldn't help but think of the current trend for new Northwoods and many GEC releases to sell out in a matter of minutes (or a few days at most). Apparently, this phenomenon is not exclusive to the modern era; knife aficionados have been quick to snap up a good quality knife when they see it for quite some time.

~Q~

Hey QT, thanks for posting this. Your observation of the current very strong interest in GEC knives having happened before, about 150 years ago, is something that never occurred to me. Knife history is repeating itself, this time in USA.
Knife collecting is rather infectious and it mostly affects the wallet and the wife (if there is one), so be careful. Some of these knives will talk to you.
Regarding OP knife, Jos Rodgers Cutlery went from 1682 to 1971. The Star & Cross logo was granted in 1682 and is stamped on every Jos Rodgers knife i have seen. I do not see it on OP knife ? To me Jos. Rodgers and Jos. Rodgers & Sons are 2 markings of the same company. However i am open to being corrected.
I would call it a "3 Blade Senator" and a very nice one too. Somehow it looks more recent than late 1800's but i don't know why i have this impression.
A collector more familiar with vintage Sheffield knives is needed here.
kj

I also think it is a modern knife. Made after J Rodgers stopped using their royal warrant mark, maybe 1960s-1970s just before they went under as a knife manufacturer.

Please show a clear picture of the tang stamp.

Appreciate everyone’s input! According to Tweedale, Joseph Rodgers & Co did not appear in directories until 1871. He was listed as a spring knife maker at 29 Norfolk Street. He was the nephew of William Rodgers and was described as a master cutler.
Joseph Rodgers & Sons later acquired the name ‘Joseph Rodgers & Co’ (which was defunct by 1918) to prevent it’s further use.
The stamping aren’t great but will add a pic.

I may be seeing it because I am looking for it, but it sure looks like the faint images of the six-pointed star and Maltese cross right where they should be, above "Joseph", but they've been worn down over time.

~Q~

Also, there is a look and feel to this knife that conveys it’s been around 100+ years. This is one that really speaks to you! Checked with magnifiers, there is a bit of pitting above the name. Here is a pic of the other tang.

Thanks for the additional pictures. No doubt about it I would date that knife from the 1890's -1918. The file work alone was not seen after WWII, unless it was made specifically as a display knife. The file work on the back springs most likely had a gold wash which is now gone due to someone polishing the knife. This originally when sold was a very expensive knife due to several reasons some of which are, pearl handles, file work on the blades and springs, the folding scissors, etc.

To me everything looks right about the knife, the only thing I don't like is the polishing that has been done to it, it has also removed most of the coined edge on the brass liner's. Otherwise you have a beautiful over 100 year old pocket knife.

D. how do you know: "The file work alone was not seen after WWII"
We know there was a decline in the extremely high quality of many Sheffield knives that began after WW I and then a decline to 'ordinary' that followed WW II. I agree this type of filework is usually associated with pre WWI but how do you know that it was never done after WW II ?
Stan Shaw is a Sheffield cutler capable of this filework and he is still cutlering today at age 90. Go back 70+ years to the end of WW II and surely there were still quite a few "Stan Shaws" ?
kj

kootenay joe wrote:I agree this type of filework is usually associated with pre WWI but how do you know that it was never done after WW II ?

When did I say never?

kootenay joe wrote:Stan Shaw is a Sheffield cutler capable of this filework and he is still cutlering today at age 90. Go back 70+ years to the end of WW II and surely there were still quite a few "Stan Shaws" ?

Cutlery companies after the end of WWII lost most of the cutlers capable of doing that kind of file work on knives and in that period into the 50's-60's they were struggling to compete in the market. They were not concerned with making such knives which were sold to the affluent market not the utilitarian market. I have looked through lots of post WWII English cutlery company catalogs and own lots of post WWII English knives so this is how I came to that conclusion.

Is Stan Shaw and others capable of doing that kind of file work during that period? Of course but did they do it on a regular basis for a cutlery company? Not in my opinion, like I said maybe for the occasional display or exhibition knife not on a regular basis. Stan Shaw is what is now called a "custom" maker and he works for himself not a company his knives are bought by collectors not really by people that intend to use them. He started his own business because all the Sheffield knife companies were closing down one by one.

Not a pocket knife, but I was drawn to this post from my searching. Thought I'd share. Family heirloom. I don't know much more..

Looks like a Cake or Bread knife ? likely with a silver handle.
kj

kootenay joe wrote:Looks like a Cake or Bread knife ? likely with a silver handle.
kj

With that saw back I would think it was likely used for frozen foods or possibly to sever the joints on poultry. Hard to tell the size but it looks to have about a 6-7 inch blade.

I cannot make out how 'aggressive' the teeth are. If old i doubt it was for sawing through frozen anything as it would be from before freezers.
I had thought they were of a more scalloped shape as seen in bread knives. Cutting apart joints usually involved saws designed for the purpose.
But you have it in hand so can feel and read the knife better than we can through pictures.
kj

Well Roland there were frozen foods before the advent of freezers. It could possibly be used for scaling fish as well. Doesn't look a very robust blade so maybe the frozen food thing is off the table. You are correct;bread knives have a much more scalloped edge to them.The way the word Company is abbreviated indicates it was likely made around 1900 or a bit before.

"there were frozen foods before the advent of freezers"
How so ? Freeze something in the winter and then pack it frozen in a block of ice covered by a few feet of straw in a root cellar, is the only way i can think of. This would not make frozen items common enough that the average household needed a tool to saw through something.
My parents were British. Every Sunday we would share a "joint" ! "Joint" is (was ?) the British word for a piece of meat to be roasted. It would have a bone in it and often a joint as in ham or pork roast, etc. My father was very traditional British, and would carve the joint. He could take apart a joint with a carving knife, never with saw teeth. My point is that sawing through bones was not something done at the table and the o.p. knife is a fancy one, for the table, not for butchering.
kj

6 inch blade, pretty sturdy. Handle is hollow; more delicate than the blade.

I would gather a bread knife, or cake knife, from your observations.

Check Wikipedia on frozen foods. First developed in 1861 by someone in Australia and developed commercially in the 1880's.

I am surprised to hear this: "frozen foods. First developed in 1861 by someone in Australia and developed commercially in the 1880's"
However household use of a freezer compartment in a fridge goes back to about 1930's. I remember ice boxes which preceded refrigerators.
We are speaking about a 'householder' knife not a commercial use knife.
kj

Wedding cake knife. Many that I have looked at had the serations.

Wedding Cake knife. That makes sense. I can remember when giving the bride a fancy knife to cut her wedding cake (and then keep) was common practice.
kj