Shadow Silver Pocket Fruit Knife and Seed Picker by Thomas Marples, 1878

Description

Thomas Marples was born in Sheffield in 1832. He operated from 41 Arundel Street and became a specialist pocket fruit knife maker. With a small team he produced fine examples for around fifty years. His knives are keenly collected. This sleeveboard shaped example is 3 1/4 inches closed and has an additional seed picker. It is made with fine brass liners, chamfered iridescent mother-of-pearl scales, an inlaid silver cartouche and tooled twin silver back bar sleeves. The solid silver spearpoint blade has five crisp hallmarks: the Sheffield crown, lion passant, date letter ‘’L” for 1878 and the Maker’s mark ‘TM’. The seed picker has identical hallmarks. This beautiful silver fruit knife and seed picker is in excellent condition.