Context (Related Documents)
The contents list for the box in which this object was found stored in 2025 states that it contains a 'Collection of Fakes and Forgeries'.
Event Date
Author: Nora J. Klages-Miller

Description (Physical description)
Handwritten tag attached to object reads: 'A "Thames Knife" Forgery'. And on the reverse: 'Dublin 1885'.
Event Date
Author: Nora J. Klages-Miller

Context (Auction / Sale)
The label attached to the object suggests a possible sale of the object in Dublin in 1885.
Event Date 1885
Author: Sophie Wardle

Context (Related Documents)
See 'Report on Collections Research and Cataloguing Project on Post Medieval 'To Be Disposed Of' Material' by David Kay in the archive (Doc.474) for background information.
Event Date 2019
Author: Nora J. Klages-Miller

Description (Physical description)
Forgery of an antique knife or dagger made from copper alloy. Handle formed from two stacked rounded forms surmounted by a funnel shape, decorated with large perforations, horizontal channels, parallel score marks, and drilled punctations. Semicircular guard with imitation rivets 'attaching' it to the long triangular blade. This has a central ridge with slightly concave flats. Blunted tip. Several depressions on both faces of the blade near its tip.
Event Date 10/2/2025
Author: Sophie Wardle

Context (Analysis)
It is unclear to which period this forgery was intended to belong. Roman and Medieval are both possibilities that have been tentatively added to the Period field. The date on the label affixed to it suggests it was produced in the nineteenth century. This and accordingly the 'Post Medieval' period have therefore also been added to the Period field.
Event Date 12/2/2025
Author: Sophie Wardle

Context (Analysis)
The label attached to the object suggests a London origin for this forgery. The Place field has tentatively been populated accordingly. It was found stored in the Museum in 2025 with objects now identified as Shadwell forgeries, commonly referred to as 'Billy and Charleys' (e.g. TEMP.03421-25). Given its likely London origin, it is possible that it too was thought to have been produced by those forgers. The pair are known to have produced daggers. It may however have simply been boxed with other forgeries produced in the nineteenth century.
Event Date 12/2/2025
Author: Sophie Wardle