Joseph Rodgers & Sons Sheffield museum

Joseph Rodgers & Sons was one of the largest cutlery manufacturers in Sheffield in the late 1800s. The company's famous star and Maltese cross mark was registered in 1764. By the end of the 1700s, they had established a factory on Norfolk Street.

In 1887 the firm began to manufacture its own crucible and shear steel, culminating in the purchase of the Sheaf Island Works in 1907. By the end of the 1800s Joseph Rodgers & Sons was certainly one of the largest cutlery manufacturers in the world. However, the firm did not escape the decline in Sheffield's cutlery trade during the early 1900s. Foreign competition, increasing mechanisation and the advent of stainless steel contributed to their decline. The company underwent a number of takeovers during the 1900s. The rights to the name and cutlery marks were bought most recently by the Egginton Group of Companies in Sheffield.

Who made this object?
This multi bladed penknife was made by the firm Joseph Rodgers & Sons of Sheffield, around 1840. Joseph Rodgers & Sons was one of the largest and most prolific cutlery manufacturers based in the city. The company's famous star and Maltese cross mark was registered with the Company of Cutlers in 1764. By the end of the 1700s, the firm had established a factory on Norfolk Street.

By the turn of the 1800s Joseph Rodgers & Sons was producing a vast range of goods. This included their famous penknives and pocket knives, as well as scissors, table cutlery and razors. In 1887 the firm began to manufacture its own high quality crucible and shear steel using iron imported from Sweden.

How was the object used?
This penknife has a total of sixteen short, folding blades. They are slender with pointed ends. Each blade is marked 'RODGERS'. Before the introduction of steel pen nibs, quills made from feathers were used for writing. Penknives were used to cut the quill to provide a perfect point for writing. The end of the feather was first cut to a point. A small, vertical nick was then cut into the very tip of the quill to enable the ink to flow evenly onto the page.

Joseph Rodgers & Sons later developed an automatic quill cutter to make the preparation of quill pens simpler. These were made from brass and had a spring action. The end of the quill was placed into the cutter and the lever pressed down to cut it to shape in one step. However, a penknife was still required to cut the vertical slit into the point of the quill.

This penknife is very elaborate and would have been used as a decorative as well as functional item. It would have been used at a desk alongside a wide range of writing equipment including an inkstand for storing ink, tapersticks and wax for sealing letters, and a box for holding stamps.

What is the object made from?
The blades of this penknife are made from steel and the scales are made from ivory. The knife is unusual as it has four separate ivory scales, giving it a cylindrical shape. Most knives and razors have only two scales, one on each side of the handle.

Joseph Rodgers & Sons used expensive imported materials for the manufacture of decorative hafts and scales. They bought mother of pearl from the Philippines, stag and buffalo horn from India and tropical woods from the West Indies. The firm also used vast quantities of ivory (elephant tusks) that was bought in bulk from traders in London, Antwerp and Liverpool. It is said that four or five men were employed by the firm to continuously saw ivory into small pieces for making handles.

What happened to Joseph Rodgers & Sons?
Joseph Rodgers & Sons did not escape the decline in Sheffield's traditional cutlery trade during the early 1900s. The declining market led to the sale of the Norfolk Street factory in 1929. Foreign competition, increasing mechanisation and the advent of stainless steel contributed to their decline. The company underwent a number of takeovers during the 1900s. The rights to the name and cutlery marks were bought most recently by the Egginton Group of Companies in Sheffield.

Revealing the object's Hidden History…
As part of the DCF funded Living Metal project, we visited Trevor Ablett to find out more about how the penknife was made.

Hidden History: how was it used?
Trevor described the object as a "gentleman's penknife"; a decorative item not for everyday use.

Hidden History: how was it made?
"[I've] never attempted to make a knife like that! Never made anything like it".

Trevor examined the knife and concluded it was made on the same basic principal as putting a single bladed knife together. The blades would be fitted to forked springs. There are two of these springs at each side of the knife.

However, the knife would have taken days to put together as there are so many blades to dress. Trevor stated that the cutler would need to be "very delicate to do this kind of work", as it requires a light touch and is "very skilfully made".

Each of the scales has been carved from a single piece of ivory.

Hidden History: About Trevor Ablett
Trevor began his working life making knives with his uncle, Emile, after leaving school. His uncle's workshop was on Athol Road in Sheffield. After five years Trevor went on to make open razors for A Myers, who worked in the same building. Trevor made open razors for five years, before returning to work with his uncle. He has made knives ever since.

From 1980 Trevor Ablett worked for Joseph Elliot's on Sylvester Street. In 1990 he began working on his own from premises on Egginton Lane, before moving to Randle Street. He is now based at Norfolk Barracks.

Trevor has made every type of common knife since being taught the trade by Harry Wragg ("I owe my career to Harry"). Trevor has an incredible fifty years of experience in the industry. He is one a small number of cutlers working independently in the city today.

Find out more…
Learn about the history of the company in a fascinating publication produced in 1911:
(unknown) c.1911 Joseph Rodgers & Sons, Ltd., Sheffield, Cutlers to their Majesties. Under Five Sovereigns. (Reference RBR PAM Q 338.478382 (R), Special Collections Department, Sheffield University Library)

Read more about the importance of Joseph Rodgers & Sons:
Tweedale, G. 1996 The Sheffield Knife Book. A History and Collectors' Guide. Sheffield: The Hallamshire Press.

Information from the marks registry courtesy of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire.