Anybody here familiar with this brand of knife (Vom Cleff Lion Cutlery)...

PocketKnifeJimmy

PocketKnifeJimmy

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Picked this up today, knowing absolutely nothing about it. It seems very nicely put together, and I believe the scales are genuine Mother of Pearl. It also has a Swiss Army type of toothpick, but instead of plastic, may be made of tortoise shell. The closed length is about 2 3/8".
It has two blades, a nail file/under nail cleaner, and the toothpick.

I used a little bit of mineral oil and a new soft toothbrush to clean her up a little. It didn't do much to make her look better, the earned patina is what it is. But, at least now she is cleaner in the well and joints.
She cost me a whole dollar, so I hope I wasn't taken! ;)

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Any info you can share about this little knife, will be greatly appreciated :)
 
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With the help of a magnifying glass, I found the words Lion Cutlery and Vom Cleff.
A little research seems to place Vom Cleff as an importer of such things as pocketknives. Seems like they were in business from the late 1800's to about the late 1920's (them importing English and German made cutlery).
I still haven't been able to make out what the etched words say on the main blade? Whatever it says, it's also marked into the MOP scales on both sides. I wonder what process was used to mark the MOP scales with that wording?
I found this knife at a local thrift store. Sometimes I go to their front desk and ask someone if they have any pocket-knives behind the counter, (since I know they don't put them out on the floor). The lady there responds that no, they don't, but then walks over to the back counter area and says to me... "Well, except for this little thing here" (her showing me the MOP knife).
At first I thought it was one of those Colonial Cutlery marketing knives (with the plastic MOP looking scales). But, once she handed me the knife for me to see it, I right away knew it was not a Colonial knife, and upon opening it to expose the blades, the quality was obviously there.
Now that I atleast know that it's likely a late 1800's to late 1920's made specimen, I have no doubt that the scales are indeed genuine MOP, and that the toothpick is made out of tortoise shell. I am surprised that the toothpick was still with it, since those things are usually the first things lost. The MOP scales are fully intact, and doesn't have any cracks, which one fall to a hard surface would have easily caused.
I sure was tempted to take some 0000 steel wool to the blades, but no, I will leave it's patina as is. The gentle toothbrush with oil cleaning is all she'll receive. It seems to me that the liners and pins are made of nickel silver.
Anyhow, one dollar for this purchase, and now this knife is likely my oldest folding pocket knife :)
 
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PocketKnifeJimmy said:
Picked this up today, knowing absolutely nothing about it. It seems very nicely put together, and I believe the scales are genuine Mother of Pearl. It also has a Swiss Army type of toothpick, but instead of plastic, may be made of tortoise shell. The closed length is about 2 3/8".
It has two blades, a nail file/under nail cleaner, and the toothpick.

I used a little bit of mineral oil and a new soft toothbrush to clean her up a little. It didn't do much to make her look better, the earned patina is what it is. But, at least now she is cleaner in the well and joints.
She cost me a whole dollar, so I hope I wasn't taken! ;)

160ucjt.jpg


migtbr.jpg


2akcxj.jpg
[/IMG]
2akcxj.jpg


Any info you can share about this little knife, will be greatly appreciated :)
Click to expand...

That tortoise shell toothpick is actually the coolest part of this knife imho.

I wonder how long Vic and Wenger have been using thise plastic toothpicks in their knives. It would be interesting to find out when those plastic toothpicks started.
 
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Well, finally figuring out what the writing reads on the blade, (Bartholomay-Rochester). I googled it and found out it was a brewery in Rochester NY.
So, the knife could have very well been a marketing item used by the brewery, and made by Vom Cleff Lion Cutlery.
The above shows a stein with the brewery's name.
Seems it was in business during the late 1800's, and finished by the late 1920's to early 1930's, (maybe prohibition ending it's run?).
These dates, from both the Vom Cleff/Lion Cutlery and the Bartholomay Brewery, place the knife at an age that is either getting very close to being 100 years old, or maybe already there or more. I love acquiring items and then learning things about their history. Up until I purchased this knife, I had not known about either one of these firms, (both being gone so long ago). It's all so educational.
One thinks of so many firms today that sell wares that they actually don't manufacture themselves, having other firms make the items and their brand(s) placed onto them, (just one example: Cold Steel). But, although one sees this as mostly a more recent times thing, one then sees this Vom Cleff/Lion Cutlery knife to prove the practice has been done for a very long time now. And, that the use of such items for marketing of businesses, is simply a very old practice as well.
Of course the more popular collectibles are usually the ones having been made by more recognizable companies like Queen, Camillus, Case, and such. Items that were used for marketing purposes with names like Coke or Budweiser, are also known to be the more desirable collectibles... But, I'm okay with having this item from Vom Cleff/Lion Cutlery for the likely marketing of Bartholomay Brewery. It simply makes it a much more unique and less commonly found item. Imo, all this is very cool stuff! :)

PS...
Isn't it funny that when these were made, they were likely supposed to wind up being given away as a promotional marketing tool. This would mean that each of these were meant to be inexpensive giveaway items. Yet, by today's standards, this would not be an inexpensive thing to produce (at least not in the USA, Britain, or Germany). It having mother of pearl scales, the tortoise shell toothpick, the quality blade etching, the tapered blades, the quality nail file/nail cleaner, and both blades having swedges... It's just not a givaway promotional/marketing type of item by today's standards. Yup, things have surely changed since this knife was made :)
 
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Out of curiosity, what do the back springs look like? Material? What are the MOP scales attached to, is it the same material as the back springs? Maybe a brass sleeve board? I was trying to guess the construction methods of the knife. Nice find and does go to show,maybe the brewery was advertising to a higher clientele. Makes one want to investigate a little deeper, the stories are a part of history and interesting.
 
Btw, although I was guessing it may have been a marketing tool, but maybe it wasn't. Maybe gifts for certain employees? Hmm, I guess I'll never know.
 
I am thinking it was, in some sort of a way, a marketing/promotional item. Maybe it was given to customers, (not likely the average beer drinker, but maybe their big buyers, like bars and night club owners). And, it may have even been something sold to customers, no different than buying a Budweiser logo hoodie or something like that today.
 
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Well, she may have only cost me a buck, (99 cents plus tax, to be exact), but she wasn't about to end up hidden in some drawer. This plus or minus 100 year old gem is being treated with some respect... Besides, a big part of the enjoyment I get out of my collecting hobby, is being able to express my inner creativity :)

 
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