- Joined
- May 26, 2010
- Messages
- 2,872
Seems like every time I turn around these days I am getting side-tracked with some esoteric area of traditional knives. Openers and picks, catalog print blocks, odd pieces of hardware store advertising, catalogs, and now these, embossed knives. I have strayed a bit and will pick up the occasional figural knife, not advertising per se, but only metal framed knives. I am avoiding the plastic frames / scales, celluloid scales, etc. Nothing wrong with them just had to narrow it a bit after accumulating around 75 of these. They are readily available in the market place but have two big drawbacks, overpriced and addictive! My small pile is nothing compared to some collections of these I have seen but my hope is that you all will contribute yours to this thread. These seem to have had their golden age from around 1920-50.
You will notice quite an array of well known tang stamps. Some important names as well. Kutmaster, Ibberson, Kastor, Schrade-Walden, Robeson, Schlieper, Joseph Rogers, Wostenholm, even Case. The list is just about as long as there were companies making or contracting knives. I originally believed that these makers made the blades and sold them to other advertising knife makers but after consultation with some other authorities do not believe this to be the case. These makers would not have put their blades out there for others to make knives and possibly tarnish their reputations with inferior products nor would they want to lose the business.
You will find that many of these were made not to advertise a specific product but maybe an event, a political ideology, an organization or union.
I was going to include detailed info about each knife but that would have made this thread a bit cumbersome. I do research each and everyone one of them as I acquire them and if you would like additional info please PM or email me and I will get it to you.
I will start off with a few to get things going and please contribute yours. I will be adding my favorites later. The only thing I ask is that we please limit it to all metal knives.
Schrade, Robeson and Kastor
G. Ibberso - Very Old Maker - Dates to 1700
Schrade
NYKC
Parker Cut Co
A&A Mfg Co
Hoffritz and Western
Schlieper
Colonial
You will notice quite an array of well known tang stamps. Some important names as well. Kutmaster, Ibberson, Kastor, Schrade-Walden, Robeson, Schlieper, Joseph Rogers, Wostenholm, even Case. The list is just about as long as there were companies making or contracting knives. I originally believed that these makers made the blades and sold them to other advertising knife makers but after consultation with some other authorities do not believe this to be the case. These makers would not have put their blades out there for others to make knives and possibly tarnish their reputations with inferior products nor would they want to lose the business.
You will find that many of these were made not to advertise a specific product but maybe an event, a political ideology, an organization or union.
I was going to include detailed info about each knife but that would have made this thread a bit cumbersome. I do research each and everyone one of them as I acquire them and if you would like additional info please PM or email me and I will get it to you.
I will start off with a few to get things going and please contribute yours. I will be adding my favorites later. The only thing I ask is that we please limit it to all metal knives.
Schrade, Robeson and Kastor
G. Ibberso - Very Old Maker - Dates to 1700
Schrade
NYKC
Parker Cut Co
A&A Mfg Co
Hoffritz and Western
Schlieper
Colonial
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