James Fenton combination pocket fruit knife and nut peeler, 1892

Description

There is little recorded about James Fenton other than he was a silversmith who became renowned for silver thimbles as well as being a prolific producer of silver-bladed pocket fruit knives. The 1849 Birmingham Directory listed him as a “gold and silver pencil case maker”. This example of a James Fenton combination pocket fruit knife and nut peeler has a sleeveboard shaped body and measures 2 7/8 inches in the closed position. It is made with brass liners, rounded iridescent mother-of-pearl scales, an inlaid silver cartouche, plain silver bolsters, twin finely tooled silver back bar sleeves and a silver spearpoint silver blade and matching silver nut peeler. The two blades have four identical hallmarks from the Sheffield Assay Office: the Sheffield crown, lion passant, date letter “Z” for 1892 and the “JF” maker’s mark. This fine combination pocket fruit knife/nut peeler is in excellent condition.