LEATHER WORKING LUNETTE KNIFE

[Jim McDougall]

Thanks very much I.P.
When I acquired this, I was thinking of Eskimo 'ulu', which are of course often in wide variation, but in a number of references showed examples which were virtually identical to this.
The deeply stamped makers mark suggested possibly a British or American item, and again several references showed similar crescent bladed knives as whalers flensing knives of 19th c.

All of these combined led me to believe this example (OP) might be one of these. However most flensing activity references showed larger bladed tools and often on poles.

Finally I contacted a Whalers Museum in Massachusetts which noted my example was not a flensing knife and likely indeed a leather working tool.
In degree disappointed, I still like the item as probably a late 19th to early 20th knife for leather work as shown, and interesting in that respect.
Thank you for sharing this on how it was used.

Both of these illustrations are shown as whalers knives online, both claimed 19th c.