LONDON BRIDGE HAS FALLEN CHEAP!

London Bridge Cutlery Set

England
Circa 1825
The stuff of nursery rhymes, this handsome and rare English set of 24 knives was crafted of oak timber taken from the first stone version of the famed London Bridge. Crafted by Weiss of London, the knives are beautifully decorated with repoussé caps, adorned with the City of London crest, and shields bearing an engraved armorial and the inscription “London 1176.” This date commemorates the beginning of construction of the stone bridge and the end of the fully wooden bridges. 

Stamped “Weiss London” on blades

There have actually been several bridges known as London Bridge to cross the Thames River since the Roman occupation of the area, nearly 2,000 years ago. The Romans built the first, probably a military pontoon bridge, of wood on the present site around 50 AD. The bridge was built and rebuilt a number of times. In 1014 it was pulled down by the Norwegian prince Olaf, in an effort to aid Anglo-Saxon King Aethelred in dividing the defending forces of the Danes, who held the walled City of London plus Southwark, and regained London for the king. This episode has been thought to have inspired the well-known nursery rhyme. The fabled bridge continues to have a colorful history today. The stone bridge built in 1176 lasted until 1825, when work began on a new stone bridge that opened in 1831. It is from the wood of this bridge that these excellent knives are made. This second bridge was sold in 1968 to Robert P. McCulloch of McCulloch Oil for US $2,460,000, taken apart and reassembled stone by stone over Lake Havasu in Arizona.

Price


$341,500

Condition*
Good Condition

Measurements
height: 6 in.
depth: 14 in.
width/length: 23 in.

Specifications
Number of items: 25
Materials/Techniques: Oak
Creator: Weiss of London

Photography
provided by MS Rau Antiques

Location
MS Rau Antiques
630 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA, 70130
Phone: 877-315-8652
E-Mail: info@rauantiques.com

Dealer Ref. : 29-4970
Ref. : U100611891164