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Prunning/Gardening Knives


Guest Smiling-Knife

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Guest Smiling-Knife

I have a small collection of Sheffield-made prunning knives. This is my favourite, made by Harrison Bros & Howson, circa early 1900s. Posts of further examples of prunning or gardening knives will be greatly appreciated.

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This one has been shown on another thread, thought I'd offer it up again for old times sake. No makers name visible. This one has recently joined my stable,looks like bone handle with brass ferrule (one above has steel) cannot identify maker

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Guest Smiling-Knife

Very nice zorro. Thanks for posting them for us. They both look to have stag handles. The second is just well worn.

I copied my Saynor with smooth bone scales over from the other thread as it fits better here.

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Guest Smiling-Knife

Nice looking budding knife zorro. I can't tell the handle material from the photo. Try looking through a magnifying glass. Bone will have small pores whereas ivory will not. If there is a pattern of regular wavy lines then it is likely faux ivory (a.k.a. ivorine, french ivory etc). I hope this helps.

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Nice looking budding knife zorro. I can't tell the handle material from the photo. Try looking through a magnifying glass. Bone will have small pores whereas ivory will not. If there is a pattern of regular wavy lines then it is likely faux ivory (a.k.a. ivorine, french ivory etc). I hope this helps.

Hi Steve,

Thats a great tip! Been meaning to ask you if there was a way of identifying real bone, saved me the cost of an internet stamp! Checked out our collection, sure enough older knives with carbon blades have pores, one with stainless blades obviously newer has wavey lines! Best of all, the Saynor has got a finish as smooth as a babies bottom!!! he he he he he he

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Any idea who Saynor was then ? Or dates when he was around ??

Saynors was reknowned for high quality horticulture knives including models with ivory handles. The origins of Saynors began in the 1860s I believe. The knife has England on the tang so made at least 1891 or thereafter. (copyright s-k 2008) :rolleyes:

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Guest Damien Lance Barker

Saynors was reknowned for high quality horticulture knives including models with ivory handles. The origins of Saynors began in the 1860s I believe. The knife has England on the tang so made at least 1891 or thereafter. (copyright s-k 2008) :rolleyes:

Hi, this may be a little delayed to say the least.

If your question has remained unanswered for the past two years; do you still wish to know about Mr. Saynor?

As far as I was informed by my grandfather (Reginald Saynor); there were only one family of Saynor's in Sheffield; my ancestors. It is possible that the knowledge you seek is somewhere within my family's domain. The Saynor's have always had a large family tree.

I'm a big supporter of preserving history and culture, and hope to use this website for my own research, in regards to local legends and folklore around and within Sheffield and South Yorkshire.

It therefore seems only fitting that I contribute back; if I am successful in finding out about the knife smith, I shall inform. I do recall my Grandfather speaking about fantastic quality knives in his family, though, before his death, he was disappointed that his own was stolen.

I shall look in to it anyway.

Regards,

Damien Lance Barker.

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Hello and welcome Damien. Glad you've found us and are making use of peoples contributions.

We hope to hear more from you in the future.

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Guest Damien Lance Barker

Hello and welcome Damien. Glad you've found us and are making use of peoples contributions.

We hope to hear more from you in the future.

Thank you very much, and I am happy to say...

Last night I met up with my Mother in a pub in a place called Oldcotes. We talked about all this kind of thing that day, and randomly, in an email, without me even enquiring before hand; she sent me this as part of the email...

"Your Grandad's dad, William Saynor was a very weedy little man yet he produced 10 children with his weak heart bless im lol

He was one of the original and the last "LITTLE MESTERS" a top master cutler in Sheffield... his knives are still in the museum. His name is in the Master Cutlers book at Sheffield where ever it is they keep it. Been on tv several times but I have forgot.

Cutlers hall sounds familiar actually ....

Anyway, he died with the knowledge of making a certain knife.... it died out with him.... (or once again, is that family folklore and bragging!)

He was however, extremely political. He was a Socialist in the extreme.... as was uncle Bill. (uncle Len got it all wrong once - he said our Bill is a communist lol) needless to say Uncle Bill went potty at him!

Your Great Grandad Saynor the cutler used to go to political rally's every Saturday.... he had his own "soap box" and would stand while folk listened to his politics.... he took Millicent and Uncle Bill as they were the oldest and that is how they became involved in this interest....

The other kids were too young and then he got very ill and there was no medicine for anything in those days without money so he became bed-bound for donkey's years.... dint stop more kids arriving though lol

Grandad was 12 when he passed away."

Let me just add that there is a pub in Dinnington called the Little Mester. Some of the stuff I've learned about is pretty mind blowing :S

So to those of you with a Saynor knife from Sheffield, you have a rare artefact. Please look after it! You won't find another one like it...

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Saynors was reknowned for high quality horticulture knives including models with ivory handles. The origins of Saynors began in the 1860s I believe. The knife has England on the tang so made at least 1891 or thereafter. (copyright s-k 2008) :rolleyes:

Early Saynors as Publicans

Falcon/Hawk, 65 Pea Croft, Joseph Saynor (Hawk) 1816-17; John Saynor, Pea Croft, Falcon/Hawk & Bowling Green , Daisy Walk (1822)

Barrack Tavern, 217 Penistone Road/Hillfoot, John Saynor 1825-1829

Paul Pry, 64 Pea Croft/88 Solly Street, John Saynor (1833-34)

----------------------

Which gives rise to the question : were the Falcon/Hawk and Paul Pry one and the same place ?

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Hi, this may be a little delayed to say the least.

If your question has remained unanswered for the past two years; do you still wish to know about Mr. Saynor?

As far as I was informed by my grandfather (Reginald Saynor); there were only one family of Saynor's in Sheffield; my ancestors. It is possible that the knowledge you seek is somewhere within my family's domain. The Saynor's have always had a large family tree.

I'm a big supporter of preserving history and culture, and hope to use this website for my own research, in regards to local legends and folklore around and within Sheffield and South Yorkshire.

It therefore seems only fitting that I contribute back; if I am successful in finding out about the knife smith, I shall inform. I do recall my Grandfather speaking about fantastic quality knives in his family, though, before his death, he was disappointed that his own was stolen.

I shall look in to it anyway.

Regards,

Damien Lance Barker.

Did your grandfather live at Beatrice Place,

Edit that, re-checking on my information it was Ernest and Rita Saynor who lived there.

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Hi Damien, Does your Grandad Reginald have a brother called Donald? If so I know the family well.

Best Wishes

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