Pearl Handle Sunday Knives by John Roberts

'Sunday knives' - fancy pearl handled beauties worthy of gracing anyone's pocket on a Sunday. This was the finest grade of production knife, the most elegant, and to many the most beautiful.

Published in 1979, this eight page booklet showcases the Roberts collection - once the largest collection of pearl handled knives anywhere, prominently displayed at shows across the southeast.

In this book, author John Roberts details the different varieties of pearl seen on these knives, including peacock abalone, opal abalone, oriental abalone, gambier pearl, splotched pearl, smoked pearl, golden pearl (commonly called gold-lip) and regular white mother of pearl. Each variety is discussed in some detail - where it comes from, how to identify it, and which of the older knife manufacturers used each type. The book is thoroughly illustrated with color photographs of each and every type with some of the very best examples that have ever been discovered. Even longtime collectors will be surprised at some of the unusual and exquisite knives depicted herein.