Gents and Pens!!!

waynorth

waynorth

Dealer / Materials Provider
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
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Men's vest pockets and women's reticules could carry a small knife for various useful purposes!! Popular around the turn of the last century, they were often exquisitely made for their purposes, often resembling a form of pocket jewelry!!! Nicely made and enjoyed often, the uses were endless!!
Unable to resist a nice one, they have slowly but constantly joined my collection. Every drawer seems to have one or two in it, so gathered together they definitely make a collection on their own, some being more nicely made than their robust siblings!!Camillus Congress 1.jpg

Carrying Rattail bolsters, this Camillus Congress has wonderful jigged bone, proportioned to the size of the knife!! Shown below with a standard old TL-29 for comparison!!Camillus Congress 2.jpg

A useful assortment of blades with half-stops finishes off the diminutive knife!!!
 
One of my favorite, old American companies, Empire, long gone, produced scads of Pen and Gent's knives!! Here are just two samples;Empire W 1.jpg
A much carried and handle-worn knife, little used, but much loved!!!
And below a simple metal, watch chain knife!!Empire metal pen.jpg
 
My favorite is a tip bolstered Robeson swell center pen; love the bone and jigging.

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This stainless steel Schrade Walden is pre 1954 and comes with a shackle for a watch pocket chain.

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Seems like the pen knife category is pretty broad and can encompass various patterns, right? I think this Robeson qualifies, which I like for the nice bone and how it disappears in pocket with its single spring design. I haven’t sharpened a quill with it, but it has refined pencils . The GEC 33 is for scale…but…could that be considered a pen knife too?
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Xhul said:
Seems like the pen knife category is pretty broad and can encompass various patterns, right? I think this Robeson qualifies, which I like for the nice bone and how it disappears in pocket with its single spring design. I haven’t sharpened a quill with it, but it has refined pencils . The GEC 33 is for scale…but…could that be considered a pen knife too?
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That 33 ( specifically this version in 1095 with the drawn swedge ) is the one GEC that haunts me most, I will probably never get to own one but I can dream at least.
If I'm not mistaken it would be considered a swell center pen and should qualify for this thread.
Clip blades seem to have been more common to various working knives and types of whittlers than dressy patterns, but I don't think the clip blade is a disqualifier in any way.
That Robeson I think is a sleeve board, definitely a pen configuration and has beautiful covers too.
 
Have the good fortune to have my Grandfather's - remember it from the time I was a very small boy. Real MOP scales, nickel plated frame, large and small blade. What appears to be a lion passant on the blade and C Lutters at the base of the main blade. Wish I could post a photo. Any ideas as to maker / vintage? As a guess, turn of the 19th century based on family legends.
 
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