SHEFFIELD’S MOST FAMOUS KNIFE MAKER, OWNER OF THE STAR AND CROSS TRADEMARK AND MAKER OF THE NORFOLK KNIFE
JOSEPH RODGERS EARLY HISTORY
Like many of Sheffield cutlery firms, the early history of Joseph Rodgers is a little unclear. It is claimed that a cutler called Joseph or John Rodgers operated out of a building in Hawley Croft close to location of Sheffield’s present day cathedral. In 1730 what are claimed to be his two sons Maurice and Joseph took over.
TRADEMARK
The mark of The Star and Maltese Cross was originally registered in March 1682 by a Benjamin Rich. However, it is with Rodgers that this mark will forever by associated and they registered it in 1764. Such is the trademark's renown that over the years, there have been a great many instances of unscrupulous companies copying the iconic design and applying it to inferior products.
NO. 6 NORFOLK STREET
With increasing business in what is thought to have been exclusively Pocket Knives, in around 1780, the firm moved to larger premises at No. 6 Norfolk Street. Eventually, as Rodgers expanded, it would acquire surrounding property until the famous Norfolk Street Works occupied the entire plot.
Around 1800, Rodgers’ product range broadened into razors, table cutlery and scissors and in 1821 the firm was appointed cutlers to The Royal Family for the first time. Around this period and inspired this prestigious title, Rodgers opened their first celebrated showroom in which they proudly exhibited their wares.
THE YEAR KNIFE AND THE NORFOLK KNIFE
Displayed in the showroom were arguably Rodgers' two most famous knives, The Year Knife and The Norfolk Knife. The Year Knife was commenced in 1822 with a new blade being added for each year of the Christian era (the knife now contains two thousand blades). The Norfolk Knife, made for The Great Exhibition of 1851, took two years to complete and features blades with etchings of Queen Victoria, Chatsworth House and The White House amongst others.
WORLDWIDE ACCLAIM
Around 1860, new, even more spectacular showrooms were built and people came from as far and as wide as America and China to marvel at superb examples of Rodger’s craftsmanship. Visitors of the late 1800’s included King Edward VII and The Shah of Persia.
Further expansions were required in the late 1800’s and more property was acquired in the area around Norfolk Street until ultimately it would become Sheffield’s largest cutlery factory. Rodgers products were now being exported to growing export markets – Asia, Africa, the Americas virtually the whole world. America would become Rodgers largest export market and it is claimed that it was a Rodgers’ hunting knife, given to Buffalo Bill by General Custer, which Bill used in his duel with Sitting Bull.
Rodgers focused on producing the finest quality knives and looked for the best in every aspect of knife production from materials to workmanship. Each knife was branded with the Star and Cross as a guarantee of its superb quality. It has been claimed that so great was Rodgers reputation for producing only the finest products that the word “Rujjus”, a variation on “Rodgers” entered into the Sinhalese dialect as a general expression of superlative quality.
In 1897 a Rodgers, Maurice George, became Master Cutler. He suffers the dubious honour of being one of only a handful of Masters to die in office.
ROYAL APPOINTMENT
Joseph Rodgers’ success is evident in the firm’s appointment to five successive sovereigns - George IV, William IV, Queen Victoria, Edward II and George V
ITEM DESCRIPTION
These knives were mainly issued to the Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) during WW2 up until 1986. This knife displays the Rogers makers name and the famous star and maltese Cross trademark. This knife would clean up well.