UNIQUE UNSHARPENED ANTIQUE PRISTINE S.E.K.B. PUBLISHED 5 BLADE EXHIBITION KNIFE

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UNIQUE UNSHARPENED ANTIQUE PRISTINE S.E.K.B. PUBLISHED 5 BLADE EXHIBITION KNIFE:
$3325.50

UNIQUE UNSHARPENED UNCARRIED MINT S.E.K.B. PUBLISHED 5 BLADE EXHIBITION KNIFE UNIQUE UNSHARPENED UNCARRIED PRISTINE MINTS.E.K.B. PUBLISHED 5 BLADE EXHIBITION KNIFE
UNIQUE UNSHARPENEDUNCARRIED MINT SHEFFIELD EXHIBITION KNIFEBOOKPUBLISHED1 OF A KIND MOTHER OF PEARL 5 BLACE EXHIBITION POCKET KNIFEby master cutler JosephWestby/ Sheffield~WITH PROVENANCE

This is a mint, unsharpened,uncarried, handmade, unique Exhibition Pocket Knife made in Sheffield, the knifecapitol of the world at the time and for hundreds of years prior. Thisone-of-a-kind Exhibition piece was made by Sheffield Master Cutler JosephWestby. Reference the 1999 Sheffield Exhibition knife book full pagepresentation of this knife on page 236.

William Westby and his wife Annhad two sons, Joseph Westby (b.1854-d.1929) and Joseph’s brother John(b,1857-d.1903). William Westby was a manager and later partner in Brookes& Crookes firm. Joseph Westby began his cutlery career as anapprentice at Brookes & Crookes Atlanta Works in St. Phillips Road and waslisted as a Maker in his own right between 1876 and 1883. His brother John wasalready being trained as a cutler in the Brookes & Crooks Atlanta works atage 13, and later became a warehouseman and manager at the Atlantic works.

In 1892, Joseph Westby hadan interesting, but short-lived partnership with Charles Levick, age 21, at theCongo Works in Pinfold Street / Trippet Lane. Little is known about CharlesSwift Levick, but he was an entrepreneur that died at an early age. He was bornin Sheffield, England in 1871; the son of George Levick, a steel traveler, andhis wife, Anne. The 1893 Directory listed this partnership with Levick as “WestbyJsph., Levick & Co., Trippett Lane. It should be noted that CharlesLevick was only 21 when he and his partner Joseph Westby registered a champagneknife and a cartridge extractor patent in 1892, when Joseph Westby wasalready an established Master pocketknife maker. It is unknown what featureswere “improved” in their patents. Although both Charles Levick and JosephWestby owned the patent for this knife pattern, Charles Levick’s name wasstamped on the blades. However, it is obvious that during this short-termpartnership, Joseph Westby, was the only partner with Master Cutleryskills to create the patent knife. I have previously owned the only known exampleof this patented Champagne knife that bore Levick’s name on the ricasso; yetthe knife was hand made by his partner and pocketknife Master Cutler JosephWestby. Given the Exhibition quality and mint condition of this singleknown example of the Levick / Westby champagne knife produced during theshort 2-year partnership, it would have been a custom-made order by Mastercutler Joseph Westby as a patent model, an Exhibition piece, asalesman’s sample or a display piece. Although knives that were exported from Sheffieldto America were required to have the word England stamped on the bladesstarting in 1891, the blades on the Champagne knife made 1892-94 are markedSheffield, with no England mark. Westby would have had many blade blanksalready stamped with just the old Sheffield mark. Knives made for domestic(U.K. use) did not require the England stamp. It also appears that Westbyprimarily made knives for the domestic market, as the later Exhibition 5 blademother of pearl knife in this description was made much later; yet still hasonly the Sheffield Mark. Joseph Westby’s partnership with Levick endedin 1894, and Charles Levick launched his own business at Holly Works, HollyStreet. Levick sold most types of cutleries, and in the Foreign Buyers’Catalogue (1895) advertised table cutlery with ‘holdfast’ handles. He died inMcKenzie Street on 29 May 1899, aged 27, and was buried in Fulwood.

Subsequent to his short-livedpartnership with Charles Levick that ended in 1894, Joseph Westbycontinued his cutlery career as a Master pocketknife cutler as Joseph Westby & Co. Ltd. at Congo Works, Pinfold Street/Trippet Lane, but the firm closed in 1896. Although his firm was insolvent, Westby continued to make cutlery under his own name. By 1913, Westbywas located at the Times Building in Bow Street, as well as Trippett Lane. Hisfirm manufactured pen and pocketknives. After WWI, Westby moved toCentral Works, at West Street, and appears to have continued his Masterpocketknife skills individually, or with a small assemblage of workers untilhis death in 1929 at aged 75. Given Joseph Westby’s 1892-94 Exhibitionpearl patented champagne knife and this, late in life Exhibition one-of-a-kindpen knife with a unique Sterling Master blade and both charcoal blued and gold-platedbacksprings inside and out, it appears Westby used his Master cutleryskills throughout his career to make a few custom made to order unique knives asa patent model, for presentations, cutlery competitions or as legacy piecesthat were gifted to lifelong friends or family members.

This 5 blade Exhibition pearlknife not only fits this profile, but also has a one-of-a-kind Master silverblade bearing his JW Silver mark. It should be noted that during Westby’spartnership in 1892-1894 with Levick and through the 1890’s, there were no recordsof silver marks recorded by Westby, Levick & Co. or by Joseph Westby& Co.However,his father, William Westby was a partner for Brookes & Crookes, who registered silver hallmarks in 1864 and 1893, so it is possible the silver cross mark was from both his fatherand/or his association with Brookes & Crookes, or thatJoseph Westbylater created and recorded a silver mark, that creates an enigma. In a strange coincidence, the Maker mark onthe unique Sterling Master blade of this 5 blade Exhibition pocketknife bearsthe Birmingham (not Sheffield) city date letter E for the year 1929; the sameyear that Joseph Westby died on Dec. 10th, 1929. Without the silver datemark, the knife appears to be a unique 1800s Exhibition knife as the blades arehot stamped, JOSEPH WESTBY, SHEFFIELD, (pre-1891) with NO ENGLAND. Notethe 1892-94 champagne patent knife also had NO ENGLAND stamping, and both were probably made for the English domestic market. The ricassosare stamped HAND FORGED, which is an unusual marking as almost all Sheffieldknife blades are hand forged. Perhaps these blades were from early blade blankson hand, or to differentiate these blades from cheap blade blanks stamped froma sheet metal. This piece also demonstrates Westby’s unique patterns andperfect Artisanship and craftsman that pays tribute to the last year and legacyof a 75-year-old Sheffield Master Cutler. The company name eventually reappearedin 17-19 Furnival Street, Sheffield during WWII. An advertisement in 1952stated they marketed pen knives, scissors, and novelty knives. However, Westby’sceased trading by 1965.

Fancy pocketknives were anecessary accouterment for any Gentleman of Means. This Exhibition qualityMother of Pearl Gentleman's pocketknife is a perfect example of an eyeappealing sway back pattern piece that continued to be used for decades as bothan accessory and fashion statement. Only a well to do Gentleman would have beenable to afford a fancy top of the line custom Pearl handled quality 5 bladepocketknife like this one. This piece was completely handmade by MasterSheffield Cutlers using only simple hand tools, i.e., hand forged & handground blades, hand tempered springs, hand fitted, et al. Note that this knifeis bolster less, with no end or mid bolsters to support the 3 pivot pins thatsecure the 5 blades. This is a scarce feature that is found on many Exhibitionquality knives where the Master Cutlers were showing off their skill to createa knife with Mother of Pearl scales, 5 blades, 3 springs, 4 brass milled linersand 2 premium scales; held together by only 2 pivot pins and one back springpin peened through the Pearl that would shatter if given one too many taps witha finishing hammer. After about a century later, the Exhibition quality Motherof Pearl have no chips or cracks and remain in perfect condition; with the verydesirous naturally occurring patterns in the pearl that reflect light and theexceptional multi-color iridescence from pearl (especially in the sunlight)collected before the oceans became polluted. There are 4 easy opening shallowcut outs to the top of the scales to facilitate easy opening of the 5 knifeblades. Overall, this one-of-a-kind unequal ended sway back pattern Exhibitionquality 5 bladed pocketknife is 3 3/8" closed x 1/2" wide at thewidest end, x 1/2" thick. weighs 1.8 ounces or 51 grams and has severalunique enigmatic characteristics. The knife has all the quality and conditionhallmarks of an 1800’s Exhibition pocketknife. The 4 steel blades have the pre-1891hot stamp mark SHEFFIELD, without the country-of-origin additional stampENGLAND required after 1891. The steel blades are hot stamped “HAND FORGED” onthe obverse, which is an anomaly since almost all Sheffield knives are completelyhandmade and hand forged. The backsprings have a very unusual feature I havenever seen before, i.e., the outside backsprings are charcoal blued on both theinside and outside, and the center backspring is gold plated both inside andoutside for contrast. Note the delicate gold finish has been worn on theoutside middle backspring due to handling, but traces remain.

The Master blade is a silverhallmark blade, a unique feature in a pocketknife. I have seen a 1700’s horseman’sknife with a silver and steel blade of the same size, but not a pocketknifewith a silver Master blade. The one-of-a-kind Sterling Master blade is 2 1/2”and is stamped with 4 silver hallmarks including the anchor city mark forBirmingham and the passant lion mark for sterling silver. The blade bears thepreviously unknown silver hallmark of Joseph Westby with the initials JW insidea cross motif. Neither this silver hallmark nor the initials JW appear in anyof the Birmingham directories; so perhaps Joseph Westby created a silverhallmark stamp but had not registered it. It should also be noted that JWhallmark stamp is accompanied by the date letter E for the year 1929, the sameyear of Westby’s demise.

All 4 steel blades areunsharpened and retain 100% of their original signature Sheffield crocus ofIron mirror polish. The 1 3/4” Wharncliffe blade is hot stamped “JOSEPH”,“WESTBY” and “SHEFFIELD” in 3 lines the obverse hot stamped “HAND”, “FORGED” in2 lines. The large pen blade is 1 5/8” long and hot stamped “SHEFFIELD” in 3lines the obverse hot stamped “HAND”, “FORGED” in 2 lines. The small pen bladeis 1 7/16” long and hot stamped in small letters “SHEFFIELD” in 3 lines and theobverse hot stamped “HAND”, “FORGED” in 2 lines. The manicure blade is 1 7/16”long with a small, sharped knife edge at the end and is hot stamped in smallletters “SHEFFIELD” in 3 lines and the obverse hot stamped “HAND”, “FORGED” in2 lines. The silver blade is in minty condition. The hallmarks are deep andclear, the blade is full with a semi-sharp edge. The silver blade has theoriginal shiny silver luster background polish and has not been polished inrecent history, with as expected very fine surface scratches from handlingmarks to the very soft sterling silver.

The blades on an Exhibition knifeshould never be snapped hard. Some tight-fitting blades in knives should openand close the blades in sequence. For example, a published S.E.K.B. Sheffieldsportsman knife with a lock blade can’t be opened if the adjacent corkscrew orawl is in the open position. Master blades should be opened first and whenclosed, the smaller blades then closed into position around it, avoiding thestrong Master blade spring snap to damage of the blade tip or edge andavoid damage to, or rub marks from the liners or other blades. This ExhibitionMaster sterling blade has a very strong backspring that is identical to thesteel blades. Although the Master silver blade tip does not touch the linerwhen closed, hard snapping of this blade over time has created a tiny wear markto the inside gold plating of the back spring directly under the tip, with aminuscule mark to the soft sterling tip edge next to a spot of aged patina thatis hard to notice with the naked eye but is visible with a 10-x loupe. All-naturalmaterial shrinks over time, including pearl, that can create a micro adjustmentto the alignment of the blades. The nail nick of the soft sterling silver bladeinside the liners is aligned adjacent the corrugated sharp edges of the nailblade when both blades are closed. This nail blade has an extremely strong backspringthat requires considerable force to keep the thumbnail engaged in the nail nickto open the blade. When pressing hard, the blade flexes slightly away from theliner and towards the silver blade, and the sharp edges of the nail blade hasleft some thin line rub marks near the top of the soft sterling blade nail nick.Thus, the silver blade should be opened first before the stiff spring nail nickblade. Although this detailed description is included for clarity, this tinyimperfection is insignificant to the overall presentation of this one of-a-kindPublished Master Cutlery Exhibition knife that remains in immaculate mintcondition.

Published, Mint, Unsharpened,Uncarried Master Cutler Exhibition knives are impossible to find. AddExhibition Quality Mother of Pearl scales, a rare unequal end sway back patternand pristine mint condition steel blades hand made by a Sheffield MasterCutler; and you have age, rarity, condition, eye appeal, and a handsome,one-of-a-kind investment knife with interesting provenance. This would beperfect for any Sheffield, pocketknife, smalls collection and knife connoisseur/ investor.

PROVENANCE

Ex.: Iconic Bill Adamscollection. Bill was president of Atlanta Cutlery Corporation and the firstPresident of the Antique Bowie Knife Association. Bill traveled to Sheffield in1971 and returned with many Sheffield cutlery treasures from many defunctCutlery firms including the IXL George Wostenholme firm before they werepurchased by Joseph Rodgers and the Washington Works was demolished. Bill soldmuch of this collection in the 1970’s and early 1980’s, but this knife was heldback by Bill and later published in the Sheffield Exhibition Knife Book. Theforward of the S.E.K.B. is also by Bill Adams (see above) on page 9. TheS.E.K.B is a display of the finest knives the cutlery world has to offer theWorld. Exhibition knives were created by Master Cutlers to be displayed, thenretired to the factory collections. These knives were made for quality, beauty,display, culture, and posterity; and not intended for sale or use. Many wereshow pieces for Exhibitions to compete in Cutlery competitions for gold andsilver medals.

This unique Sheffield Exhibition pocketknifeis showcased in a full-page presentation on page 236 of the 1999 SheffieldExhibition Knife Book and noted as the being from the Bill Adams collection. Notethat some pages have multiple knives on each page, but the best knives have afull-page display with a few Masterpiece Showpieces have a 2-page presentation.F.Y.I., there is another 5 bladed pocketknife from the Bill Adams collection onpage 79 called the Pearl Library knife with another similar and very unusualblade made from natural material called a page turning blade.

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