with straight burnished blade formed with a double-edged point and writhen back-edge accompanied by a long slender fuller on each face, signed on one face and with cross and star mark, rectangular ricasso, engraved silver ferrule decorated with foliage on a punched ground, pommel en suite, thick silver knuckle-chain and dark ivory tusk grip, in its silver-mounted leather scabbard (perhaps associated) with chape and locket, the latter with long belt hook chased with a feather design, 23.0 cm blade

Provenance

David Hayden-Wright (1936-2006)

Literature

David Hayden-Wright, The Heritage of English Knives, Atglen, Pennsylvania, 2008, p. 263.

In the nineteenth century, Rodgers had an unsurpassed reputation and history that was synonymous with the cutlery trade. The family's first cutler, John Rodgers (1701-85), is recorded around 1724, with a workshop near the present cathedral. In the same year, the Company of Cutlers 'let' him a mark, a Star and Maltese Cross, which became world famous in later years. Rodgers began the production of exhibition and presentation pieces in the early 19th century. The McKinley Tariff Act of 1890 halved their American business and consequently they sought to grow their business in other parts of the world, the present dagger was no doubt made for The Eastern Market. Hayden-Wright states that the present dagger is similar to that illustrated in the Rodgers cataloguing, p. 990. p. 56.

This lot is offered with UK Ivory Act 2018 certificate number 93T54AMN.