Knife

A relic of Sir John Franklin's last expedition 1845-48. A horn-handled penknife, obtained from the Inuit at Repulse Bay in 1854 by the Rae Expedition. The Inuit said they had found the material at a camp to the north west of the mouth of the Back River where a party of Europeans had died of starvation. The knife has a swiveling narrow steel blade and a horn handle on which is a non-inscribed metal plaque. The item is shown in the drawing by Edward Pulleyn (AAA3972). It was presented to Greenwich Hospital by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, 2 December 1854.

Object Details

ID: AAA2048
Collection: Polar Equipment and Relics
Type: Knife
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
Events: Arctic Exploration: Franklin's Last Expedition, 1845-1848; Arctic Exploration: Dr John Rae, 1853-1854
Date made: circa 1845
People: Greenwich Hospital
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Greenwich Hospital Collection
Measurements: Overall: 10 x 124 x 13 mm