Pair of Joseph Rodgers Sheffield Knife Sharpeners Sterling Victorian & Stag Edwardian

Pair of Joseph Rodgers Sheffield pull through knife sharpeners, one silver handled Victorian and a smaller stag handled Edwardian.

Victorian one has a faint hallmark that looks to be a Birmingham mark (anchor) but the (Gothic?) letter date is worn, it could be 1830’s-40’s but could also be later 1870’s-90’s ?? It is very small and very faint. This one has two discs that are ground like a sharpening steel with a guide between the two. One disc is marked V R (Victoria 1837-1901) Joseph Rodgers & Son Cutlers to Her Majesty and England 8.75” overall length.

Smaller stag handled one is marked Rogers Cutlers to His Majesty and England on the opposite side. 7 5/8” with Silverplate ferrule and stag handle.

Joseph Rodgers vied with Geo. Wostenholm for the position of the top makers in Sheffield, these two sharpeners would have been part of large ornate carving sets but are interesting as representations of early pull through type knife sharpening (or knife destroying depending on wether you are a knife sharpener)