Fine pocket fruit knife by John Yeomans Cowlishaw, 1913

Cowlishaw knives never needed advertising, the knives themselves were their own advertisement. Indeed only one Cowlishaw advertisement has ever been traced. The Cowlishaw story is quite tragic. Having established himself with an enviable reputation for making silver fruit knives, John Yeomans Cowlishaw became depressed when his wife died in 1895 and he committed suicide soon afterwards. His son took over the business and continued trading until the outbreak of the First World War, but the Cowlishaw name continued and his fruit knives have been seen as late as 1937. This example of a Cowlishaw knife was made for, and sold through, The Army & Navy Stores in London. It measures 3 1/4 inches closed and has a large teardrop shaped body with rounded iridescent mother-of-pearl scales. Made with brass liners, it has an inlaid silver cartouche, silvered bolsters and a tooled silver back bar sleeve. The silver spearpoint blade is hallmarked with the Sheffield crown, lion passant, date letter ‘v’ for 1913 and the maker’s mark ‘JYC’. The knife is in very good to excellent condition.