Looking for information

[RovingArcher]

Hi all. I went down to one of our local auction houses and put a silent bid on a box of old tools. I didn't bother to dig through the box, as my bid was determined by a large wood handled pipe wrench and some carving tools that were laying on top. When I got the box home, I emptied the contents one at a time and when my hand brought this large Sheffield knife out of the box, I figured I got myself a bonus.

Anyways, what I am searching for and am not finding, is information on the cutler that made the knife. The blade is stamped *Thomas Wilson over Sheffield over either 7915 or 1915 and next to the name is Best/shear/steel*. The only information I have managed to come up with is that Thomas Wilson was a Sheffield cutler in the late 17th century and I'm hoping that someone has a bit more information, because I do not feel that this knife was made in the late 1600s. I could be wrong, but I'm thinking that a cutlery company was named for this 17th century cutler.

Here's a photo of the knife. Don't mind the poor photo, it's late and I'm lazy this evening.

 

[philaw]

Aren't antiques fascinating! Plus, the knife looks like cross between a filleting blade and a machete! What is it, somebody?

Rovingarcher, I'd suggest sticking your request for info on britishblades, if you've not done so already.

 

[george]

Looks to me like a carving knife - not for carving wood but for carving meat!

Andy on British Blades is your man for info on sheffield blades though.

George

 

[RovingArcher]

Thanks for the recommendation you two. My initial thoughts were that it is indeed a carving knife and may have been used for nothing more than that, but here in the states, most of the knives that were imported by England and used by the people here, were kitchen knives or carving knives. The longhunters/mountainmen and when they could get them, the Indian people, carried similar knives to this one, in many different configurations.

My primary interest is learning more about the cutler and when the knife was made. If it's a period piece, I will leave it much the way it is, but if it's newer, I may make some minor alterations to the blade. I suspect that the butt cap and the part (I forget it's name) just behind the blade are sterling. I havn't made up my mind yet as to whether I will clean it up or not. Knives have a lot of character with the petinas left on.

 

[Nemisis]

If as you think they are stirling silver check for a hallmark part of the hall mark will be a date letter saying where and when it was assayed

 

[demographic]

As a side note it's often worth checking the area where the blade joins the tang as they have often been forge welded together at that point.

Not really a weak point IMO but more of a point of interest than anything else.

 

[Nemisis]

If there are assey marks this link might help http://www.assayoffice.co.uk/