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Antique J & I Cox New York 12" Carving Knife & Sharpening Steel Set
Product Overview
Up for sale is a remarkable piece of early 19th-century American cutlery history: an authentic Antique 12" Carving Knife and Matching Sharpening Steel Rod set, featuring the maker's mark of the renowned New York silversmiths and merchants J & I Cox.
Dating strictly between 1817 and 1852, the knife features an incredibly well-preserved 8" carbon steel blade. This set is completed by beautifully matched vintage handles that exhibit the exact physical and chemical characteristics of a historic, turn-of-the-century professional restoration. It is an exceptional find for collectors of early American craftsmanship, heirloom cutlery, or unique antique kitchenware.
Item Specifics
Brand/Maker: J & I Cox (John & James Cox, New York)
Type: Carving Knife & Sharpening Steel Set
Total Knife Length: ~ 12 inches
Blade Length: ~ 8 inches
Blade Material: Genuine Antique Carbon Steel
Handle Material: Vintage Early Composition / Formaldehyde-base compound (such as Celluloid or early Bakelite variant)
Era: Knife Blade (Early-to-mid 1800s, Pre-Civil War) | Handles (Late 19th / Early 20th Century historic repair)
Country of Origin: United States (New York)
Collector's Condition & Performance Report
The Blade: The 8" carbon steel blade has a gorgeous, deep, authentic aged patina consistent with its pre-Civil War origin. The blade profile is beautifully thin and remains exceptionally sharp—it is truly a very nice, high-quality blade that has been wonderfully preserved.
The Handles (Historic Repair): A fascinating highlight of this set is its matched handles. They release a clear formaldehyde scent when hot-tested, yet pass the Simichrome chemical test without a color change. This specific combination strongly points to an early synthetic composition (such as a specialized early celluloid or early plastic variant), indicating a professional, high-quality re-handling that likely took place a century ago.
Overall Estate Condition: Both pieces are structurally tight, solid, and full of historic character. Being sold as-is, as-found. Please inspect the high-resolution photos carefully to appreciate the fine details.
Why This Belongs in Your Collection
John and James Cox items from this era are highly sought after by collectors of early New York manufacturing. Finding a surviving pre-Civil War J & I Cox blade with its matching sharpening steel—especially one with a beautifully executed, century-old historical handle restoration and an edge this exceptionally sharp—makes this a premier, conversational showpiece.
Shipping & Handling: Superb care goes into packaging to protect this historic steel. Ships quickly and securely from Mount Airy, NC. Please reach out with any questions or if you would like additional close-up views!
ShippingWe will ship your purchase using whichever service you choose at checkout. If for any reason, the amount paid for shipping is greater than actual cost, the difference will be refunded. If you have specific shipping requirements, please make arrangements BEFORE purchase.
If you buy more than one item, we will gladly combine shipping. To facilitate this, your items should be purchased at the same time in the same shopping cart. This allows us to more easily use calculated shipping. Otherwise, if informed of your multiple purchases, we will ship in one package and REFUND any overage on shipping fees, which are calculated at checkout time based on your address/location.
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We stand behind our items. We always will take a return within our return period. But many of our items are vintage and used. These sales are "as described," "as pictured," and "as is" and cannot be held to the standard a similar new item could receive. No warranty is given or implied beyond our money back guarantee.
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