Pocket fruit knife by John Yeomans Cowlishaw of Sheffield, 1895

Description

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. This exquisite Cowlishaw fruit knife was made in the final year of his life. It has a cusp-ended violin-shaped body and is made with brass liners, carved iridescent mother-of-pearl scales, an inlaid cartouche engraved with the origianl owner’s initials, “MAS”, silver bolsters, a tooled silver back bar sleeve and a solid silver blade. The blade has four crisp hallmarks: the Sheffield crown, lion passant, maker’s mark “JYC” and the date letter “c” for 1895. The knife is 2 7/8 inches closed and it is in excellent condition.