Georgian wharncliffe-bladed pocket fruit knife probably by Joseph Rodgers, c.1797

Description

The legendary cutlery giant of Sheffield was Joseph Rodgers was known to have produced small numbers of pocket fruit knives. Among examples of Rodgers pocket fruit knives some specials were made with silver wharncliffe blades. The name Wharncliffe came from a local patron of Joseph Rodgers who designed the eponymous beak-shaped blade. Wharncliffe bladed pocket fruit knives are exceptionally rare. This example is a beauty. Measuring 3 3/8 inches in the closed position, it has an unusually fat teardrop shaped body. The knife is made with white metal liners and organic scales. It has an inlaid silver navette-shaped cartouches with micro-engraving on both scales, micro-engraved silver rosettes, silver bolsters and a gadrooned silver back bar sleeve that wraps all the way round to the blade housing. The blade has two hallmarks: the George III duty mark from c. 1797 and the lion passant guardant sterling silver mark. This very rare pocket fruit knife is in excellent condition.