Lot 108: US Military Interest, Engineering and Technical Branch, Field Tool and Utility Knife Group, WWI to WWII Era

A diverse collection of professional-grade equipment reflecting the high-quality private-purchase items frequently utilised by military engineers, machinists, and technical personnel during the first half of the 20th century. The primary component is a precision machinist and drafting tool kit housed in a black velvet-lined, multi-fold leather case. This set includes various spring-joint calipers and dividers, a 6-inch steel rule by Chesterman of Sheffield, and a combination square with a centre head marked Hardened No. 4 by The L.S. Starrett Co. of Athol, Massachusetts. The lot further includes three fixed-blade knives: a German hunting knife by Carl Schlieper of Solingen (Eye Brand) featuring a stacked leather handle and an embossed stag motif leather sheath; a large hand-forged utility knife by Gregory Bros of Sheffield featuring a serrated spine and the Bee Hive trademark; and a heavy-duty butcher-style utility knife with a red-toned timber handle secured by brass pins. Completing the collection is a late 19th to early 20th-century style brown leather utility belt, featuring decorative hand-tooling, heavy-duty stitching, and an integrated central pouch with a brass stud closure, consistent with patterns used from the Indian Wars through the Great War era.