January 19th 2017 Premier Gold Rush
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/19/2017
The San Francisco jewelers would keep regular pocket knives in their shops, someone would come in and order a pocket knife decorated in gold quartz, so the jeweler would have them pick a pocket knife and he would then make the solid gold inlaid scales attaching them to the knife. They never made the knife since they were jewelers, so you rarely see the knife blades with San Francisco markings. This pocket knife was made by one of the most famous English bowie knife makers, being signed on all four blades "Ixl George Wostenholm Sheffield", this has three knife blades with the fourth being a nail file. This type is the most sought after of the pocket knives decorated with gold in quartz because on one side it has an oval center panel separated into eight pie shapes, each inlaid with different color quartz, signifying the eight most productive mines in California operating during the Gold Rush. There are four flats of gold quartz, the four ends are inlaid with tiger's eye flats. The entire piece is in wonderful condition; there are some cracks and tiny chips in the quartz, which is to be expected because it is so brittle and this was carried in a pocket.
Item Dimensions: 3" L.