Imperial Providence RI

[delmas2nd]

is this a new company or one of the ones bought by Mr. Baer? looking at this knife and was wondering. says it is new so that makes me suspect, alot.

 

[Codger_64]

I can't see the knife you are referring to. Imperial was started in Providence R.I. in 1917, made knives thru 1941, became associated with Baer during WWII, was bought out by him circa 1984 and combined in the Ellenville, New York factory within a year. "Imperial" was a part of the trademark package Stewart Taylor bought from the October 2004 bankruptcy auction of Imperial Schrade. I've recently seen some Imperial and Hammer Brand knives on eBay which are new production, either made for TBLLC or for others under the Taylor trademark license. Give us a picture or link, please.

 

[delmas2nd]

imperial ireland my mistake apparently. hmmm wonder where i got imperial providence RI. so now isn't that the branch that was still part of the Baer empire?

 

[Codger_64]

Yes, Baer bought the Listowel, Ireland factory of Jowika and had knives and tools made there for import (Tradesman series was one line). I don't remember exactly the years, but it was closed before the ISC factory in Ellenville closed. The factory essentially produced the low cost stuff formerly produced in Providence. IIRC, some of the Badgers and the handles of teh Safe-T-Grip series were made there also.

From my notes:

March 18, 2004:Imperial Stag/Imperial Schrade Europe, a subsidiary of US-based Imperial Schrade Corp. laid off the last 13 workers of the 70, and closed the Listowel, County Kerry Ireland factory after 43 years.

Posted by Bernard Levine:

The full name of the firm was: Jowika Stahlwarenfabrik Eugen Weber & Altenbach KG.

It was founded in Solingen prior to 1928, under the name Johann & Wilhelm Kleinewefers GMBH, Messerfabrik. JWK for short, hence JoWiKa.

Sold to Eugen Weber in the 1930s. Weber was married to a woman named Altenbach, from a family that manufactured innovative low-priced pocketknives, as well as other cutlery items.

In 1960 Weber opened a branch factory in Listowel Ireland. It was sold to Albert M. Baer of Imperial Schrade in 1978; he kept on the German born manager. The Listowel factory was closed about a year and a half before the U.S. Schrade factory closed. Les deAsis of Benchmade bought some of its newer machinery (he said it cost more to ship than to buy).

The Jowika factory in Solingen closed in 1984.