All About Pocket Knives

I have a very small Edward Barnes and Sons Knife. The knife is approx 1.5inch Closed and about 3 when open however it's very small as far as thickness and it's height. I just wanna know when it was made any info about it what it's possibly worth. I can't find any other one similar to it online. I'm new to the forum so please bear with me thanks for any and all help. Also the plastic it's in on last picture is only the size of a credit card sorry for the novice pictures

Your knife is a mini Quill knife, used to cut a fresh tip on a quill for writing with and then later used to sharpen a pencil. A standard Quill knife is often around 3" closed length. The tang markings do not have "England" so it likely was made before the 1891 tariff act requiring country of origin be marked on goods coming into USA. Handles are ivory.
Value: not much. The value of knives is based solely on supply vs. demand. Supply of knives similar to yours is very limited but so is demand. There are not many collectors of Quill knives or of mini's. I would be surprised if you could get more than about $30.
kj

You did good on your first post. A neat little quill knife. Welcome.

Hunterboy1, to AAPK and very nice little quill knife!
According to Tweedale: Edward Barnes was first listed as a pen and pocket knife maker in 1828. He was joined by his sons in 1845, so I assume your knife would be later than that. Edward Barnes died in 1878 and his son Isaac ran the business until his death in 1885, at which time, it appears, that the company ceased existing. So, looks like your knife must have been made between 1845 to 1885. Tweedale also says that "Edward Barnes & Sons was a prolific maker of knives for the American market before the Civil War". The trademark used was U*S and they specialized in bowie knives.
Dan

Thanks for all the informative replies I bought it for one dollar at a yard sale I was curious on the value which as stated the 30 dollar range which is fine by me I bought simply because it intrigued me. Once again Thanks

Sweet little quill ... That would look so good with my Barnes dagger beside it ....

Welcome, nice knife.

Welcome to AAPK.

I'm not so much interested in the monetary value of an older knife as I am in its history.

How many opportunities will a regular guy get to own a nice little ivory handled quill knife whose sole purpose was to trim the end of a goose feather so its owner could write in a ledger or a diary or journal or pen a letter to a loved one or business associate; a knife made by a famous and well respected maker of Bowie era straight knives and dates between 1845 and 1885?

If I had the opportunity to acquire such a knife to place on our antique secretary, I would exceed thirty dollars, by far, in order to do so.

But, that's just me.

Charlie Noyes

Well said Charlie. I think that is an awesome little knife myself. I love the history of these old knives. Wonder who may have carried them and how they could possibly have held up so well after all these years. Objects were taken better care of years ago and passed down from generation to generation. I also would certainly exceed 30 dollars on that beautiful ivory knife.