J.M. Schmid & Son 8.5" Carving Knife Carbon Steel & Ebony USA 1880s-1920?

Made for cutlery dealer J.M. Schmid & Son Providence RI (active 1870s to 1960s) this was most likely made in New England between the 1880s and 1920s judging from the design and construction and especially the narrow handle with small English style birdshead pommel. While the handle has an English look to it, this is very distinctive of a type of high end cutlery made in New England in the 19th and early 20th century after the adoption of the drop forge helped quickly forge integral bolsters and provide for greater more standardized output.

Distinct from modern proportions, this simple but elegant knife is thin and light, hand forged after drop forged, originally a little bit longer and would have been intended as a multipurpose home cooking knife, essentially a combination of a narrow chef and a slicer. This was before chef knives were common for home use in the United States. 

It had been sharpened in enough that the edge was starting to get thick so it has been thinned and re-ground here in the old style, leaving a thin convex face. There are a few remaining pits from some previous rust. Despite a crack in one scale handle is nice and secure.