Pivot Knives

Pivot knives, which appeared as early as the seventeenth century and were produced in large quantities throughout the nineteenth century, are pocket knives whose blade pivots on an axis and, depending on the model, can be locked in the open position by means of a spring or a locking notch. Objects of everyday use as much as accessories of distinction, they accompanied men and women in their daily activities — at table, on travels, on hunts — at a time when carrying one's own knife was a matter of common practice. The most renowned centres of production were found in France, notably in Thiers, the historic capital of French cutlery, but also in Sheffield in England, as well as in Germany and Spain, with each region developing its own forms, mechanisms and decorative traditions.

The materials employed faithfully reflect the social standing of their owner and the purposes for which the object was intended. The blades are generally of forged steel, sometimes engraved or damascened. The handles, for their part, come in horn, mother-of-pearl, ivory, tortoiseshell, precious wood, solid silver or vermeil, sometimes enriched with niello work, chiselling or inlays. Certain prestige pieces bear engraved monograms or coats of arms, lending the object a personal and heraldic dimension.

For the discerning collector, several criteria determine the value and authenticity of an antique pivot knife. The condition of the mechanism is paramount: the pivot must operate without excessive play and the spring, where present, must retain its effectiveness. The hallmarks found on the blade or on the metal liners make it possible to identify the cutler, the city of production and sometimes the date of manufacture; silversmithing hallmarks on silver mounts provide valuable additional information. A signature from a recognised maker — Rodgers of Sheffield, Pradel of Thiers, or a stamped Parisian cutler — considerably enhances the interest of the piece. The integrity of the organic materials of the handle, often fragile, ultimately determines the overall assessment of the state of preservation.