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- Jan 17, 2011
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As far as I can tell Continental Cutlery Co. has deep roots and a convoluted history as per usual for the Obscure Brands.
According to @CNoyes, Goins has them in England, then New York, and then St. Louis or Kansas City. The inclusive dates of operation are 1915-1920. He has in his possession a letter from The Robeson Cutlery Company to a dealer/customer re' a shipment of Continental knives. The letter is dated 1914, one year or so prior to Goins' beginning date for the brand. It seems Robeson made knives with the Continental Cutlery Co N.Y. stamp.
@Codger_64 notes:
Blade's Guide To Knives and the earlier edition of John Goins book state that Continental Cutlery Co. was a merchant branding of Clark Brothers who bought Northfield Knife Co. in 1919 and operated it until 1929 when they went bankrupt. It was a branding they used 1915-1920. They were both a manufacturer and importer 1895-1929.
ref.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/new-company-name-to-me-but-an-old-knife.1165395/
The good Mr. @Jack Black notes:
The good Professor Tweedale tells us that the Continental Cutlery Company was a mark of Alfred Field & Co Ltd. Alfred Field was born in Leamington, England in 1814, the son of a clergyman. After being privately-educated at the school run by his father, he began a hardware business in Birmingham, with his brother Ferdinand, in 1836. Four years later, a branch office - Field, Parker, & Field - was opened in Platt Street, New York City. After Parker left the business a few years later, and Robert Ibbotson joined the firm, it became Field, Ibbotson & Co, and was now at Pearl Street. In 1863, Ibbotson retired, and the company now became Alfred Field & Co.
In 1842, Alfred Field had wed Charlotte Errington, originally from Yarmouth, England, in New York. Their son, Henry Cromwell Field, was born there in 1853, but a year later, Field decided to return to England to manage the business from Birmingham, relying on partners in New York to manage the operation there. By 1872, Alfred Field & Co had a Sheffield address in Headford Street/Milton Street, but almost immediately occupied premises at 23 Westfield Terrace. According to Prof. Tweedale, it is clear from advertisements in the local press, for buffers, whetters, and warehouse workers, that the firm were merchants rather than manufacturers, selling English, French, and German hardware and cutlery, with an office in Solingen managed by Walter Klass. Field's was also the US agent for Joseph Rodgers & Sons, and for Joseph Elliot. By the time of his death in 1884, aged 70, Field had established himself in the US as a major 'foreign merchant', leaving his family an estate of over £90,000.
After Field's death, the firm continued under his son, Alfred Cromwell Field and Alanson Henry Saxton, the manager of the New York office. The Sheffield address of Westfield Terrace remained, but by 1888 Field's had acquired two new trade names - 'Continental Cutlery Co' and 'Alex. Fraser & Co'. the names 'Collins & Wallace' was also listed. Field's chief mark was a heron's neck, but in 1890, it also bought the 'Prototype' and arrow mark of Edward Gem, as well as the marks of Joseph Kirby & Sons. 'Stoner & Compy' was another trade name, and Field's also marketed American pocket knives under their own name, with the trade mark 'Progress'. They also used 'Criterion' and Maple 'Leaf'.
Alfred Field & Co remained at Continental Works, Westfield Terrace, Sheffield until 1913, and still had its Birmingham and New York offices. Field's became a limited company in WW1, moving to a succession of Sheffield addresses, being finally in Eyre Street in 1931, where they apparently ceased trading a couple of years later, Henry C Field having died in 1929. In the US, Field's was incorporated in 1922, and they continued to trade there after the Sheffield office ceased business.
ref.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...itional-barlow.1009441/page-660#post-15884561
Here is a sold one c. 1870-1880s
https://picclick.com/Antique-Continental-Cutlery-Co-Sheffield-Multi-Blade-Horseman’S-Knife-352309688665.html
Below is one I recently acquired. I would like to see your Continental knife, paper work, box, and hear any history you can add
Continental / Cutlery Co. / Sheffield c. mid to late 1800s is my best guess
Horseman / Coachman knife
More photos tomorrow in next post
According to @CNoyes, Goins has them in England, then New York, and then St. Louis or Kansas City. The inclusive dates of operation are 1915-1920. He has in his possession a letter from The Robeson Cutlery Company to a dealer/customer re' a shipment of Continental knives. The letter is dated 1914, one year or so prior to Goins' beginning date for the brand. It seems Robeson made knives with the Continental Cutlery Co N.Y. stamp.
@Codger_64 notes:
Blade's Guide To Knives and the earlier edition of John Goins book state that Continental Cutlery Co. was a merchant branding of Clark Brothers who bought Northfield Knife Co. in 1919 and operated it until 1929 when they went bankrupt. It was a branding they used 1915-1920. They were both a manufacturer and importer 1895-1929.
ref.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/new-company-name-to-me-but-an-old-knife.1165395/
The good Mr. @Jack Black notes:
The good Professor Tweedale tells us that the Continental Cutlery Company was a mark of Alfred Field & Co Ltd. Alfred Field was born in Leamington, England in 1814, the son of a clergyman. After being privately-educated at the school run by his father, he began a hardware business in Birmingham, with his brother Ferdinand, in 1836. Four years later, a branch office - Field, Parker, & Field - was opened in Platt Street, New York City. After Parker left the business a few years later, and Robert Ibbotson joined the firm, it became Field, Ibbotson & Co, and was now at Pearl Street. In 1863, Ibbotson retired, and the company now became Alfred Field & Co.
In 1842, Alfred Field had wed Charlotte Errington, originally from Yarmouth, England, in New York. Their son, Henry Cromwell Field, was born there in 1853, but a year later, Field decided to return to England to manage the business from Birmingham, relying on partners in New York to manage the operation there. By 1872, Alfred Field & Co had a Sheffield address in Headford Street/Milton Street, but almost immediately occupied premises at 23 Westfield Terrace. According to Prof. Tweedale, it is clear from advertisements in the local press, for buffers, whetters, and warehouse workers, that the firm were merchants rather than manufacturers, selling English, French, and German hardware and cutlery, with an office in Solingen managed by Walter Klass. Field's was also the US agent for Joseph Rodgers & Sons, and for Joseph Elliot. By the time of his death in 1884, aged 70, Field had established himself in the US as a major 'foreign merchant', leaving his family an estate of over £90,000.
After Field's death, the firm continued under his son, Alfred Cromwell Field and Alanson Henry Saxton, the manager of the New York office. The Sheffield address of Westfield Terrace remained, but by 1888 Field's had acquired two new trade names - 'Continental Cutlery Co' and 'Alex. Fraser & Co'. the names 'Collins & Wallace' was also listed. Field's chief mark was a heron's neck, but in 1890, it also bought the 'Prototype' and arrow mark of Edward Gem, as well as the marks of Joseph Kirby & Sons. 'Stoner & Compy' was another trade name, and Field's also marketed American pocket knives under their own name, with the trade mark 'Progress'. They also used 'Criterion' and Maple 'Leaf'.
Alfred Field & Co remained at Continental Works, Westfield Terrace, Sheffield until 1913, and still had its Birmingham and New York offices. Field's became a limited company in WW1, moving to a succession of Sheffield addresses, being finally in Eyre Street in 1931, where they apparently ceased trading a couple of years later, Henry C Field having died in 1929. In the US, Field's was incorporated in 1922, and they continued to trade there after the Sheffield office ceased business.
ref.
https://www.bladeforums.com/threads...itional-barlow.1009441/page-660#post-15884561
Here is a sold one c. 1870-1880s
https://picclick.com/Antique-Continental-Cutlery-Co-Sheffield-Multi-Blade-Horseman’S-Knife-352309688665.html
Below is one I recently acquired. I would like to see your Continental knife, paper work, box, and hear any history you can add
Continental / Cutlery Co. / Sheffield c. mid to late 1800s is my best guess
Horseman / Coachman knife
More photos tomorrow in next post
Last edited:
offset by grey blue patina...
