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Post by lenapej on May 24, 2020 13:18:59 GMT -7
I have been pouring over the Pittsburg waste book & came across several terms that I would like some clarification on, any thoughts and/or images would be appreciated. These are items that were bought/traded to/by the Natives.
#1. What is a "cutteaux"?
#2. I seen many references to "Half-thicks" sometimes "white or purple napt halfthicks"? Am guessing it is a wool cloth of some kind? they seemed to use it for leggings.
#3. "Black handle knives", or "black knives"? just simply a black colored handle?
#4. "seal handle pen knife" or just "pen knives" does anyone have images of a pen knife? am guessing it would be a little different than the clasp knife?
#5. "Gartering, or Bolt Gartering" would this have been tape used for garters?
Sorry if these questions seem irrelevant to most of you, but it seems to me these items would have been available to whites as well? When I read these terms I am curious as to how they looked and were used.
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Post by paranger on May 24, 2020 16:30:54 GMT -7
1. A cuttoe (spellings vary) is a short civilian style hunting sword.
2. Half thick is indeed a woolen cloth.
3. English trade knives of the period often used exotic hardwoods for handles, including rosewood ("red handled") and cocobolo ("black handled")
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Post by lenapej on May 24, 2020 17:39:42 GMT -7
1. A cuttoe (spellings vary) is a short civilian style hunting sword. 2. Half thick is indeed a woolen cloth. 3. English trade knives of the period often used exotic hardwoods for handles, including rosewood ("red handled") and cocobolo, or African black wood ("black handled") Thank you sir, much appreciated. |
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Post by paranger on May 24, 2020 17:56:59 GMT -7
Surely. I'm no help with #4 or 5, I'm afraid.
Also, I should have mentioned that "cuttoe," etc. is a corruption of the French "couteau," or "knife."
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Post by spence on May 24, 2020 22:10:28 GMT -7
Pen knives were originally for trimming the tip of your quill pen. Early ones had fixed blades, frequently short and a bit curved. Then in the 18th century they began to make them so that the blade could slide into the handle, and eventually so they could fold. I would guess a "seal handle pen knife" would be one with a personal seal as part of the handle so it could be used to apply the seal to wax used on letters.
Cutteaux is confusing. It does sometimes seem to be a short sword, and is frequently offered for sale along with other swords, and sometimes called Cutteaux de Chasse, which means hunting sword/knife.
But there are also other ads and a patent agreement;
The BOSTON Evening-Post.
Date: 06-23-1760;
Issue: 1295;
Page: [4]
"Just Imported in the last Ships from LONDON BRISTOL , &c. By Edward Blanchard, And to be sold at his Shop in Union - Street...by wholesale or retail, cheap for Cash......cutteau and all other sorts of clasp knives...."
London Gazette 1783:
"The Commissioners in a Commission of Bankrupt... proceed to the Sale of Two Third Parts of Certain Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, dated the 21st of February, 1781, whereby His Majesty gave and granted to James Reaves, of Chesterfield in the County of Derby, Cutler, sole Privilege, during the Term of Fourteen years, of making and vending his new invented Table-Fork-Blades, both Scale and Round Tongues, with two, three or more Prongs; also Spring Knive Scales, commonly called Cutteau or Pocket Knive Scales of various Sorts, made of Cast Metal called Pig Iron, either entirely of the Metal, or intermixed with Steel or oth[e]r Metal or Metals, which, by a new preperation of tempering the several Articles, renders them sufficiently strong and elastick for every Purpose to which the same may be applied..."
Spence
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Post by brokennock on May 25, 2020 0:35:24 GMT -7
I think I can come up with a picture of a pen knife. I just saw one in print in the past couple days, just need to find it again. I'll photo it with my phone then put it here.
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Post by lenapej on May 25, 2020 10:44:22 GMT -7
Thank you gentlemen for your response.
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Post by brokennock on May 26, 2020 19:49:12 GMT -7
Sorry, it took me a bit to find the illustration then get the pic to my pc. By then I forgot where I had said I would post it. Unfortunately it is not a photo of an original, it is an illustration found in Beth Gilgun's "tidings from the 18th Century"
Top item is the knife, note the small blade with curve downward to the tip.
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Post by spence on May 26, 2020 21:26:54 GMT -7
In case anyone is interested in how a pen knife was used, check out this episode of JonTownsend, Turning A Feather Into A Pen - Historical Writing Series Part 1. It is the first of 4 episodes on mail in the 18th century, and he shows in fine detail how quill pens were made. It's not the way you think. He does show an early pen knife. www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3aPOXkzNPkSpence |
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Post by Sicilianhunter on May 30, 2020 6:22:24 GMT -7
In case anyone is interested in how a pen knife was used, check out this episode of JonTownsend, Turning A Feather Into A Pen - Historical Writing Series Part 1. It is the first of 4 episodes on mail in the 18th century, and he shows in fine detail how quill pens were made. It's not the way you think. He does show an early pen knife. www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3aPOXkzNPkSpence Spence, Very interesting info!! I didn’t know anything about the tempering process at all!! |
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Post by lenapej on May 31, 2020 11:33:00 GMT -7
Sorry, it took me a bit to find the illustration then get the pic to my pc. By then I forgot where I had said I would post it. Unfortunately it is not a photo of an original, it is an illustration found in Beth Gilgun's "tidings from the 18th Century"
Top item is the knife, note the small blade with curve downward to the tip.
Thanks! I have been searching online and have seen some similar to this, I take it that a pen knife and a quill knife are the same thing. |
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Post by lenapej on May 31, 2020 11:35:31 GMT -7
In case anyone is interested in how a pen knife was used, check out this episode of JonTownsend, Turning A Feather Into A Pen - Historical Writing Series Part 1. It is the first of 4 episodes on mail in the 18th century, and he shows in fine detail how quill pens were made. It's not the way you think. He does show an early pen knife. www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3aPOXkzNPkSpence Spence, thanks, I have seen that video and tried my hand at it with a turkey quill, it works quite well. - Josh |
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