KNIFE, DINNER

Description: DINNER KNIFE, SILVER-PLATED, BLUNT BLADE. BUFFER BETWEEN BLADE AND HANDLE CONSISTS OF THREE RAISED BANDS, BAND CLOSER TO BLADE IS FARTHER APART THAN TWO BANDS CLOSEST TO HANDLE. ROUNDED HANDLE IS DECORATED WITH THREE ENGRAVED, STEPPED LINES WHICH RUN PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER ALONG THE EDGES OF THE HANDLE. PATTERN IS THE SAME ON FRONT AND BACK. FRONT OF HANDLE MARKED, "C.P.R." IN CURSIVE. BACK OF BLADE STAMPED, "A.T. WILEY COY LD, MONTREAL." ADDITIONAL STAMPED MARKINGS ON BLADE ARE ILLEGIBLE DUE TO WEAR. KNIFE IS TARNISHED AND SCRATCHED THROUGHOUT. SILVER LOSS ALONG EDGES OF BLADE.

History: ACCORDING TO FRED GREEN, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CANADIAN PACIFIC (CP), THE KNIFE WAS DONATED TO THE GALT IN ORDER TO CELEBRATE THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DRIVING OF THE LAST SPIKE. THE ANNIVERSARY OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 7, 2010 AND COMMEMORATED THE "COMPLETION OF CANADA'S FIRST TRANSCONTINENTAL RAILROAD AND A NEW CHAPTER IN [CANADA'S] HISTORY." THE KNIFE IS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STYLE OF SILVERWARE COMMONLY USED ON THE CANADIAN PACIFIC DINING CARS AS EARLY AS 1890. SEE P20100027001 FOR MORE INFORMATION. SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR MORE INFORMATION.