Codger_64
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People from all walks of life, near and far, are at least vaguely acquainted with the name "Uncle Henry", even people who do not own or collect knives. But who the heck is he? Was he a real man, or a figment of some marketing guru's imagination like J.C. Higgins?
Born Henry B. Baer in Manhattan circa 1899, the man known to his peers, workers and friends, eventually to the world as "Uncle Henry", was the grandson and namesake of Henry Bodenheim (1823-1873), a partner of Aaron Kastor in Bodenheim, Meyer, and Kastor of New York City, importers of guns, cutlery, and hardware from Belgium, England, and Germany, primarily marketed in the South. Bodenheim lived in Vicksburg, MS., until 1865. The Vicksburg, Missisippi city directory of 1860 lists Bodenheim H. & Co., drygoods merchants, Washington st West side. Bodenheim, Meyer & Co., 149 Duane and 9 Thomas street, New York is listed in a letter of 1872 pleading with the Federal government to end the post war Federal occupation of New Orleans.
Henry Bodenheim died in 1873 and the company reorganized as Meyer & Kastor, but did not fare well for a variety of reasons. In September of 1876, the company closed up shop for the final time; all debts and assets were liquidated.
In fact, it was Aarons nephew, Adolph Kastor, who immigrated from Germany in 1870, who hired Henry's younger brother,Albert as a salesman at age 16 in 1922. In October, 1876, the 20-year old Adolph Kastor had his new company operating in a building on Canal Street in New York City, Adolph Kastor & Bros., importers of German made knives. This eventually became Camillus Cutlery. In 1932, August Kastor retired from Kastor Bros. and sold his shares in Kastor Bros. to Albert Baer. This is how the Baer's came to begin Camillus ownership.
Henry started out in his uncles hardware business in Manhattan. Later, he joined his brother Albert in running Schrade, changed to Schrade Walden, Ulster, acquired after WWII, and eventually Imperial Knive Company which became the parent company of the other two divisions of Imperial Knife Associated Companies, then Imperial Schrade Corporation.
If Albert was a marketing and organizational genius behind the business, Henry was the creative genius. Rarely do two brothers of such differing interests and skills alow such a long lived partnership, let alone one with so much success.
Henry's creativity bloomed in the cutlery world with colorful logos, slogans, and unique knife designs that saw Schrade rise to the top of the heap in the marketplace, holding the title of the world's largest manufacturer of quality cutlery for years. He was largely responsible for Schrade's entry into the commemorative market wit hthe LB-1 Liberty Bell, PR-2 Paul Revere, and MM-1 Minute Man (855RB pattern) that started it all for Schrade, and indeed for much of the industry. And he followed that success with the Grand Dad's Old Timers to commemorate Schrade's 70th anniversary in 1974, followed by the GDOT II knives of 1975.
Henry was also a "people person", and everyone I have spoken to who knew him commented about this. He made it a point to do walking tours of the factory, approaching workers at their stations with greetings. He was adept at remembering names and faces, and at making the workers feel as if they were a part of his family. Thus, "Uncle Henry". And thusly a workforce loyalty and pride that translated in to quality products, the kind of work you would turn out for your favorite Uncle. And the kind of employer that you would want your son to work for. And his son.
He was artistic in the more commonly thought of arts as well as in his knife design work. His inter-office memos were decorated with caricatures of himself doing whatever action he was requesting of his staff in the memos. His watercolors and self-portrait artwork hung in the factory. Here are a few examples from some papers of the early 1970's.
Henry Baer, retired President of Schrade Cutlery Corporation died in his apartment in Manhattan NY., at age 88 in 1987. He had been the President more than 35 years, and also Vice President of the Imperial Schrade Corporation, Schrades Parent Company. Listed in his obituary were his wife, Elsa Baer, sons Henry and Albert, both of Manhattan and two grandchildren.
Born Henry B. Baer in Manhattan circa 1899, the man known to his peers, workers and friends, eventually to the world as "Uncle Henry", was the grandson and namesake of Henry Bodenheim (1823-1873), a partner of Aaron Kastor in Bodenheim, Meyer, and Kastor of New York City, importers of guns, cutlery, and hardware from Belgium, England, and Germany, primarily marketed in the South. Bodenheim lived in Vicksburg, MS., until 1865. The Vicksburg, Missisippi city directory of 1860 lists Bodenheim H. & Co., drygoods merchants, Washington st West side. Bodenheim, Meyer & Co., 149 Duane and 9 Thomas street, New York is listed in a letter of 1872 pleading with the Federal government to end the post war Federal occupation of New Orleans.
Henry Bodenheim died in 1873 and the company reorganized as Meyer & Kastor, but did not fare well for a variety of reasons. In September of 1876, the company closed up shop for the final time; all debts and assets were liquidated.
In fact, it was Aarons nephew, Adolph Kastor, who immigrated from Germany in 1870, who hired Henry's younger brother,Albert as a salesman at age 16 in 1922. In October, 1876, the 20-year old Adolph Kastor had his new company operating in a building on Canal Street in New York City, Adolph Kastor & Bros., importers of German made knives. This eventually became Camillus Cutlery. In 1932, August Kastor retired from Kastor Bros. and sold his shares in Kastor Bros. to Albert Baer. This is how the Baer's came to begin Camillus ownership.
Henry started out in his uncles hardware business in Manhattan. Later, he joined his brother Albert in running Schrade, changed to Schrade Walden, Ulster, acquired after WWII, and eventually Imperial Knive Company which became the parent company of the other two divisions of Imperial Knife Associated Companies, then Imperial Schrade Corporation.
If Albert was a marketing and organizational genius behind the business, Henry was the creative genius. Rarely do two brothers of such differing interests and skills alow such a long lived partnership, let alone one with so much success.
Henry's creativity bloomed in the cutlery world with colorful logos, slogans, and unique knife designs that saw Schrade rise to the top of the heap in the marketplace, holding the title of the world's largest manufacturer of quality cutlery for years. He was largely responsible for Schrade's entry into the commemorative market wit hthe LB-1 Liberty Bell, PR-2 Paul Revere, and MM-1 Minute Man (855RB pattern) that started it all for Schrade, and indeed for much of the industry. And he followed that success with the Grand Dad's Old Timers to commemorate Schrade's 70th anniversary in 1974, followed by the GDOT II knives of 1975.
Henry was also a "people person", and everyone I have spoken to who knew him commented about this. He made it a point to do walking tours of the factory, approaching workers at their stations with greetings. He was adept at remembering names and faces, and at making the workers feel as if they were a part of his family. Thus, "Uncle Henry". And thusly a workforce loyalty and pride that translated in to quality products, the kind of work you would turn out for your favorite Uncle. And the kind of employer that you would want your son to work for. And his son.
He was artistic in the more commonly thought of arts as well as in his knife design work. His inter-office memos were decorated with caricatures of himself doing whatever action he was requesting of his staff in the memos. His watercolors and self-portrait artwork hung in the factory. Here are a few examples from some papers of the early 1970's.
Henry Baer, retired President of Schrade Cutlery Corporation died in his apartment in Manhattan NY., at age 88 in 1987. He had been the President more than 35 years, and also Vice President of the Imperial Schrade Corporation, Schrades Parent Company. Listed in his obituary were his wife, Elsa Baer, sons Henry and Albert, both of Manhattan and two grandchildren.
