Any Love for Orange Blossom lobsters?

chuko

chuko

Joined
Dec 22, 2007
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Been trolling this forum for a few years, but seldom see lobsters or even pearl scales. I have a small collection of these beauties so I thought I would start one focusing on the famous gun stock whittler lobster pattern. For reference: Levine’s IV Page 260: Four blade gunstock lobsters have a top deck like a whittler. The double-thick spear master blade rides the full width of the spring at the narrow end. Two small blades ride the on the split ends of the spring at the wide end. This four blade gunstock lobster whittler is called the “Orange Blossom” named by Tom Bradley, Jr. of the New York Knife Company in honor of his Civil War regiment. the 124th New York Volunteer Infantry (the Orange Blossom Regiment). In the 1920s and 1930s a pearl handled orange blossom was one of the most expensive pocket knives a person could buy. Charles

Lets see your photos.

Her are a couple of my NYK.Co #1 has old stamp and #2 has Hammer Brand stamp and a shield.View attachment 252337View attachment 252338
 
Beautiful collection, Chuko. :thumbup:

Those delicate beauties were a top-of-the-line premium pattern in their day. Companies like Remington would sell them for $25 to $50--a ton of cash in the 1920s--whereas a big Bullet Trapper sold for around two or three bucks. I know the hefty Hunters and Trappers can make for an impressive display and all, but IMO, if you want to see the old cutlers at the top of their game, the small multi-blade gent's patterns like Whittlers and Orange Blossoms represented the state of the art.
 
Charles ....these lobsters are just beautiful. Love the history of the Orange Blossom . Are they in the the 3 to 3.5 inch range?
 
I really like the pattern from the point of the skill involved in making them. Do not own any yet, but hope to someday. Thanks for posting these beautiful knives.
 
Those are beautiful Charles. Thanks for sharing them with us.
 
Here is a mint condition Orange Blossom pattern gunstock whittler Master blade Etched <Hickory> with same tang mark. Smaller blades marked Kelly S. Thompson. Goins: lists this mark to Kelly-How-Thompson Co 1902-1947, a hardware firm in Duluth, Minn. Levines IV indicates these knives made by Napanoch, Charles

View attachment 252733View attachment 252734
 
Charles, you have some very nice Orange Blossom pattern gunstock whittlers.

Thanks for posting them here for all to see.

You've shown a very nice Robeson example.

Here is an etched Masonic version of Robeson's 742082 pattern with its original box with guaranty.

There is a reflective phenomenon at the end of the master in this photo that makes it look tarnished. It is not. All blades have a beautiful crocus polish and the knife is unused and unsharpened.

742082B.jpg


742082BoxGuaranteeB.jpg


Robeson also made this pattern knife as a Terrier Cutlery Co. item between 1910 and 1916. I've yet to locate one for my collection, but I have seen one in a nice display of pearl handled knives, called "Century Of Pearls" at a knife show in Waterbury, CT in 1997.
 
Thanks Charlie for sharing this really nice mint Robeson with box. I have a number of different makers of this pattern, but no Terrier Cutlery versions either. Maybe tomorrow I can get some new pictures up of a few more of mine. Charles
 
NICE! I think this is the first stag to be posted. I certainly don't have many, most of mine are pearl. Thanks for showing, Barry.

Charles
 
Here is my Moore Handley Hdw Co Gunstock Whittler Knife 3 1/8" closed, master blade full at 98% and marked (Moore-/Handley/Hdw Co). All blades are marked and walk and talk. Handles are pearl. no cracks. (1883-1962) knives made by NYK Co., Boker, Schrade, & Camillus. Charles

View attachment 253701
 
Excellent thread and superb knives Charles. I have a few (at least 1 of them was yours) but they are at my 'other' home which i can't access for another 2 months. Too bad, i would love add pics of my Orange Blossoms.
roland
 
Interesting. My father was born in New York City in 1924 and lived there for 40 years before he moved to San Diego. He is always in disbelief at the price of lobster, and says when he was a kid it was considered a "poor mans food." Since he was poor he became well aquainted with it.:) He still tells stories of nickel ice cream sundays. Funny that the lobster knife was one of the dearest knives of the time, does anyone have insight into why this would be? I guess rich folk were onto lobster before it became a "luxury" food.... ???
 
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