Box with 27 Victorian fruit knives

Brookes & Crookes was a British cutlery firm with roots dating back to the mid-19th Century. The firm was founded by John Brookes (1825-1865) and Thomas Crookes. Their quality craftmanship earned them an Honourable Mention at the Great Exhibition in 1851. After Brookes' untimely death, Thomas Crokes took over the business. The "Bell" trade mark was a badge of excellence.

John Walters & Company was also a British cutlery firm and advertised in a Sheffield directory in 1841 as a maker of table and dessert knives and forks and palette knives. The owner was John Lolewell Walters (1804-1868).