Pocket fruit knife by Charles William Fletcher of Sheffield, 1910

Description

Although he registered his silver mark with the Sheffield Assay Office in 1894, Charles William Fletcher did not formally set up business as a pocket fruit knife maker until 1899. The firm was based at Sterling Works, Bramble Lane and it not only flourished, the firm outlasted most other pocket fruit knife makers being finally sold in 2002. This example of a Charles William Fletcher fruit knife is 2 1/2 inches closed and is made with brass liners, rounded iridescent mother-of-pearl scales and silvered rayed bolsters. The silver spearpoint blade has four hallmarks: the Sheffield crown, lion passant, date letter ‘s’ for 1910 and the maker’s mark ‘CWF’. This fine folding fruit knife is in very good condition.