posted 09-25-2002 12:14 AM              

I have a question about an 1847 Rogers Brothers silver plated Shell pattern butter knife with twist handle.

The knife blade has 3 "scallop" shaped cut outs that seem to just fit three rows of corn-on-the-cob.

Can you tell me if it were made specifically for buttering corn-on-the-cob, or if it were made for some other special purpose?

The silver mark on the butter knife is "1847 Rogers Bros. Al" followed by a double concentric circle shaped mark containing what looks like a vertical sword sticking out of the top of a crest shield in the very center of the small inside circle, and with "Meriden Britania Co" written around the inside edge of the larger outside circle.

I believe the date of the knife is 1890.

I would appreciate it if you could tell me exactly what kind of knife this is, or if you could refer me to someone else who could.

Thank you so much.

posted 09-25-2002 09:46 AM            

This, of course, is all done without actually seeing the piece.

posted 09-25-2002 09:48 AM            

If the cutouts are on the back of the blade, it sounds to me like you have a cheese knife. Cheese knives do look a lot like butter knives. Once you have cut off a piece of cheese, you are supposed to flip the knife over and spear the piece with the teeth on the back of the blade.

I'm afraid I do not own any cheese knives to show you. Perhaps someone else can post a picture of one?

posted 09-26-2002 12:02 AM              

I believe I have just succeeded in putting 3 poorly scanned images of the knife on:


Please let me know what kind of knife you think it is.

Also, what is the purpose of the twist handle?

Thank you,
Terrell

posted 09-27-2002 12:36 AM              

It surely does look like someone took a bite out of it.

My 81-year-old Mama was taught to butter only 3 rows of corn-on-the-cob at any one time (COTC etiquette, as it were). When she saw this knife, she became curious as to its function, and tried it out on a piece of COTC. She was elated to find that it was perfect for buttering the allowed 3 rows in one fell swoop, without losing the pat of butter. If it really is just a plain ole master butter knife, then the 3 cut-out arches must have just been for decorative purposes, I suppose, even though they don't really add much beauty to the design.

I thank you for your expertise and for taking the time to help solve my mystery.

posted 09-27-2002 01:15 AM              

Cool!
Are you serious?
When were corn scrapers popular?
And in what part of the world?
Was each dinner guest issued his own corn scraper, or was it a kitchen tool?

posted 09-27-2002 01:57 AM            

I think it was a kitchen tool, or a single serving piece. They are relatively hard to find, so my guess is that they weren't place pieces (probably the frequency with which COTC was eaten didn't warrant adding another piece to the place setting) and that they weren't very popular--to me, it looks awkward to use.

I would guess the piece would be held perpendicular to the cob; the teeth would slide along the corn, it looks like between kernals, loosening them, while the other half of the serving end would serve to dismantle the corn completely, scraping the cob clean. Mind you, this is only a guess and I might be way off.

Unfortunately, I sold this piece before our corn was in season, so I never had a chance to experiment with its use.