Clark...Kent Sportsman?

[Codger_64]

Back in May I started a thread about knives made for F.W. Woolworth's "five and dime stores" by Camillus using the trade name "KENT", and in particular a bone handled Kent Sportsman fixed blade I acquired.



The marking is KENT - N.Y. CITY - U.S.A. When we look up the mark in Goins Encyclopedia Of Cutlery Markings (1998), we see that he attributes the mark to A. Kastor & Brothers (Camillus) as used on knives manufactured circa 1931-1955 for F. W. Woolworth.

Albert M. Baer was put in charge of sales in 1930. Albert signed George Herman ‘Babe’ Ruth to endorse autographed baseball bat figural knife for Kastor Bros., first of many endorsements. In order to permit Baer to be a stockholder, Alfred B. Kastor sold him 50 shares of his common stock.

Under Baer's management of sales, Camillus manufactured KENT brand knives for F.W. Woolworth's beginning in 1931.

Tom WIlliams (CAMCO) gave us the identification of that knife:

Codger,
That KENT hunting knife is a #5665 pattern that was introduced in 1939.

Tom Williams

And further:

Camillus made the #5665 pattern hunting knife for F.W. Woolworth and also made this model under the Camillus name.
The #5665 pattern was introduced in 1939 and the S-Card reads "New Hunting Knife". This was introduced as a civilian model, but was purchased by the U.S. Marine Corps in the early years of WWII before military knives were available.

Tom Williams

Here is my latest find, another KENT Sportsman, albeit with a slightly different tang marking and a dark wood handle material (cocobolo?). Is it also a #5665? Or a predecessor or descendent? Or a handle replacement? There does not appear to have ever been a guard on this one. A Clark... Kent?



Michael

 

[CAMCO]

This KENT hunting knife was made before the model #5665, which was introduced in 1939. I do not recall the pattern number.

Tom Williams

 

[Codger_64]

Thanks! While it is impossible to tell from these pictures, the knives are substantially different when viewed up close. The bone handled example is 8 3/4" overall with a 4 7/8" blade (guard to tip), and the wood handled example is 7 1/2" overall with a 3 7/8" blade (handle to tip). Both are plain (flat) ground blades. The handle mounting is an obvious difference, the bone having brass compression rivets and the wood being pinned with two brass pins. I've not had much success in locating examples with Camillus tangs, or with other Camillus marks such as Fairmount, Cloverbrand, Syracuse, etc.

An interesting side note: Mr. Levine credits Camillus as the originator of the inexpensive Sportsman pattern fixed blade knife, and lists nearly all other contemporary makers as copiers of the pattern. He does mention, however, the earlier Marbles designs.

Codger