A couple of boot sale novelty knives: info please

[Blake the Blade]

Bought these cheap at a car boot sale today. They're not the sort of thing I usually find, or go for, but they are interesting and seem to have some age. Both are single blade, single spring novelty type knives, one has colourful glittery scales and the other the times tables embossed into it. Any info much appreciated. :thumbup:

Untitled by Blake Blade, on Flickr

Untitled by Blake Blade, on Flickr

Untitled by Blake Blade, on Flickr

 

[Will Power]

Interesting finds.

The multiplication table knife looks German as that Whale tang stamp is I believe, from a German cutler. Probably kid's knives, made arithmetic classes easier!

The other knife could be Celluloid.

Thanks, Will

 

[supratentorial]

Looks like the stamp says "German Make" but the "G" is cut off. Richartz used a whale mark.

 

[Blake the Blade]

Interesting finds.

The multiplication table knife looks German as that Whale tang stamp is I believe, from a German cutler. Probably kid's knives, made arithmetic classes easier!

The other knife could be Celluloid.

Thanks, Will

Thanks Will. Do you think the stamp ERMANMADE under the Whale stamp should read GERMANMADE and what age would you put on each of the knives?

 

[W.M.B.]

Is it possible the multiplication table knife had the blade replaced? I wouldn't think a cutler would grind off part of his tang stamp. but someone reworking some old parts might, to make it fit. either way its an interesting knife and I would have bought it (at normal flea market prices anyway). nice find.

 

[Blake the Blade]

Is it possible the multiplication table knife had the blade replaced? I wouldn't think a cutler would grind off part of his tang stamp. but someone reworking some old parts might, to make it fit. either way its an interesting knife and I would have bought it (at normal flea market prices anyway). nice find.

I really don't think the blade has been tampered with, just missed with the stamp I think.

 

[supratentorial]

I believe the knife is original. The stamp wasn't ground off. It was just stamped off the edge.

 

[Will Power]

See Jake's post . Looks like it.

Richartz made knives in Solingen from c.1900 - 32. Then one of two brothers moved to Sheffield in 1932 being joined by the other in the late 30s. They may have left as they were Jews or for moral/political reasons. They Anglicized their name to Richards just before WW II. Richards became makers of cheaper knives, novelty type stuff and Coronation memorabilia knives etc. They disappeared I assume sometime in the 70s or were take over. Jack Black will certainly know more. So, looks like your knife could be 20s or 30s? I don't myself think the blade has been replaced, not worth the effort.

As for the Cell? knife, any stamps or markings?

 

[Blake the Blade]

I believe the knife is original. The stamp wasn't ground off. It was just stamped off the edge.

Think you're definitely right Jake. No wonder I couldn't find anything on line under ERMANMADE. I'll Google Richartz, thanks. Any idea of age?

 

[Bartleby]

I really don't think the blade has been tampered with, just missed with the stamp I think.

Sorry typed too slow, repeated Will's info.

 

[Blake the Blade]

See Jake's post . Looks like it.

Richartz made knives in Solingen from c.1900 - 32. Then one of two brothers moved to Sheffield in 1932 being joined by the other in the late 30s. They may have left as they were Jews or for moral/political reasons. They Anglicized their name to Richards just before WW II. Richards became makers of cheaper knives, novelty type stuff and Coronation memorabilia knives etc. They disappeared I assume sometime in the 70s or were take over. Jack Black will certainly know more. So, looks like your knife could be 20s or 30s? I don't myself think the blade has been replaced, not worth the effort.


As for the Cell? knife, any stamps or markings?

That's fascinating Will, thanks. I'm a big fan of Richards knives, they are where it all started for me. Great to think I may have an early carnation. :thumbup:

No marks or stamps on the cell knife I'm afraid.

 

[5K Qs]

...
Richartz made knives in Solingen from c.1900 - 32. Then one of two brothers moved to Sheffield in 1932 being joined by the other in the late 30s. They may have left as they were Jews or for moral/political reasons. They Anglicized their name to Richards just before WW II. Richards became makers of cheaper knives, novelty type stuff and Coronation memorabilia knives etc. They disappeared I assume sometime in the 70s or were take over. Jack Black will certainly know more. So, looks like your knife could be 20s or 30s? I don't myself think the blade has been replaced, not worth the effort.
...

It is a student's knife from the period between WWI and WWII by Richartz. Richartz changed their mark in England to Richards in the 1930's. Students carried these as they worked on memorizing multiplication tables. John Watts made a very similar knife listing the Kings and Queens of England for many many years. The "German make" or "Foreign make" stamps were used after WWI when large numbers of German knives were flooding into the English market at very low price.

This is information I'd never seen before: Richartz, of whale stamp fame, in Solingen became Richards (of lighthouse stamp fame?) in Sheffield?? I'd never made that connection between companies with two of my favorite tang stamps. Thanks for your posts, Will & Bartleby! :thumbup::thumbup:


Blake, congrats on your new finds! :thumbup: That knife with the multiplication tables is incredible, given that I've spent my adult life as a mathematics teacher (not to mention the whale tang stamp)!! It would be a fantastic partner for my stockman with the Euler Identity scrimshawed on its covers. I have myself a new grail to search for!

- GT

 

[Bartleby]

This is information I'd never seen before: Richartz, of whale stamp fame, in Solingen became Richards (of lighthouse stamp fame?) in Sheffield?? I'd never made that connection between companies with two of my favorite tang stamps. Thanks for your posts, Will & Bartleby! :thumbup::thumbup:


Blake, congrats on your new finds! :thumbup: That knife with the multiplication tables is incredible, given that I've spent my adult life as a mathematics teacher (not to mention the whale tang stamp)!! It would be a fantastic partner for my stockman with the Euler Identity scrimshawed on its covers. I have myself a new grail to search for!

- GT

The lighthouse is a lamp post, it is same company. There is a transitional knife etched with the lamp post trade mark, with the Richartz tang stamp. The multiplication knife is about the same quality as the Sheffield Kings and Queens knife, so they were in direct competition. This is the reasoning behind the English protectionist type tang stamp. The Richards company did move to pressed steel shell construction (a German innovation) when they moved to England, when the then German government took over their plant for its own use, when persons of Jewish descent were prohibited from ownership. Both Richards and Richartz were making knives at least into the '80's. I believe they severed ties during WWII and were independant concerns thereafter.

 

[Blake the Blade]

This is information I'd never seen before: Richartz, of whale stamp fame, in Solingen became Richards (of lighthouse stamp fame?) in Sheffield?? I'd never made that connection between companies with two of my favorite tang stamps. Thanks for your posts, Will & Bartleby! :thumbup::thumbup:


Blake, congrats on your new finds! :thumbup: That knife with the multiplication tables is incredible, given that I've spent my adult life as a mathematics teacher (not to mention the whale tang stamp)!! It would be a fantastic partner for my stockman with the Euler Identity scrimshawed on its covers. I have myself a new grail to search for!

- GT

I'm as knocked out as you GT. So great to have the combined knowledge of the guys on the porch with stuff like this, thanks guys. When I first picked this up it took me while to realise it was numbers on the scales, I thought it was just some sort of embossed pattern. Those students back in the 30s must have had great eyesight.

 

[Bartleby]

I'm as knocked out as you GT. So great to have the combined knowledge of the guys on the porch with stuff like this, thanks guys. When I first picked this up it took me while to realise it was numbers on the scales, I thought it was just some sort of embossed pattern. Those students back in the 30s must have had great eyesight.

The letters are as small as a line of text today. Keep in mind that these were often given as gifts to students who were very young, still with good eyes indeed, as a first knife.

 

[Pule]

This is information I'd never seen before: Richartz, of whale stamp fame, in Solingen became Richards (of lighthouse stamp fame?) in Sheffield?? I'd never made that connection between companies with two of my favorite tang stamps. Thanks for your posts, Will & Bartleby!


Blake, congrats on your new finds! That knife with the multiplication tables is incredible, given that I've spent my adult life as a mathematics teacher (not to mention the whale tang stamp)!! It would be a fantastic partner for my stockman with the Euler Identity scrimshawed on its covers. I have myself a new grail to search for!

- GT