Tichet Nogent 16″ Slicer Carbon Steel Rosewood Handle Paris, France 1890-1930

Long, semi flexible slicer made by Tichet in Nogent, France, most likely from the 1890s to 1920s, but possibly earlier with hand-forged and hand-ground carbon steel blade, brazed nickel ferrule ring, and deep colored 1/2 octagon rosewood handle 

Tichet was originally a small knife makers in Paris doing all process by hand from forging to grinding in a small shop. In the 1880s they moved most or all production to Nogent where there had also been a tradition of hand worked knives like in many areas of France with small pre-industrial shops. With the adaptation of the drop forge first in Nogent the volume of knives that could be made was greatly increased however skilled hand work hand forging and hand grinding after drop forging was the norm. Before long Thiers followed suite and adopted the drop forge to increase output. 

Tichet knives made in Nogent from this era: 1880s to early 20th century were some of the best of their day and have a very, very distinctive blade and handle geometry and feel as well as the distinctive Lion stamp. The forging, heat treatment and grinding of Tichet knives in this era are really excellent, much less of them show up than other makers and I doubt they were exported but they are definitely worth noting as the being part of the top of the heap of old French knife making as it transferred from all hand work to more mechanized process. After this era of Tichet made in Nogent knives were more similar to the ones being made in Thiers and were made up to the 1960s when Nogent began to decline. 

This knife was sharpened down a little, originally a hair wider its edge a tiny bit thick and with some ugly but light sharpening marks. It has been thinned along the faces by us to bring it back to a good geometry and remove the scuffs, the hot stamps are nice and deep so not much was lost.