Codger_64
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For several years now I have been occasionally seeing examples of what I believe is a set of three 507SC Schrade Scrimshaw knives with an service station theme. Not having seen an example new in the box with accompanying paperwork, and nothing having lept out of the records at me, few clues have surfaced as to the series name, date(s) of issue, or the possible SFO customer for whom they were made if it was not indeed one of Schrades own commemorative series.
Here is the last thread on this series for reference from April of this year:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466466&highlight=Lube
The 507SC, as most of you know, is the LB-7 Lockback pattern which presents a large, relatively flat uninterrupted canvas for Schrade Scrimshaw art. While more costly to produce because of its size and complexity as a short run SFO, the 507SC was nonetheless chosen time after time by many businesses and organizations for their special orders and by Schrade for their own commemorative series.
The three knives I have noted are (in no particular order):
1. 507SC - Mechanic working on antique car engine inside service station
2. 507SC - Mechanic jacking up an antique car inside service station
3. 507SC - Mechanic working on antique car engine seen from outside service station
All three have the F. Giorgianni signature on the art suggesting pre-1993 manufacture, or at least origin of the artwork. However none have the commonly added two didgit date we have come to expect from Mr. Giorgiannis art. Not unheard of but uncommon.
In coming up with a working title for the series, I chose the text of the signs illustrated in two of the issues, Oil & Lube. Besides the artist, the mechanics, cars and service stations, one constant design detail emerges from the three issues. In each artwork a gas pump is visible through the doorway or in the foreground. It bears the distinctive Texaco star. I doubt this was accidental.
Archiving every photo I have come across has yielded a few clues. On one box slipcase the stamping reads 0216 / TEDA 507SC . 0216 was obviously the serial number of the enclosed knife. Each example I have seen of these issues were serialized on the lower front bolster, the highest seen so far being #2008.
I finally found the insert with the name of the series:
So now we have an official Commemorative Series Title, Mechanic Commemorative and the date (for at least the first knife mentioned) of 1989.
I still have no idea if this issue was the first (1989,90,91), middle (1988,89,90) or last (1987,88,89) of the series, or if all three were produced in 1989. And while We have the SFO name TEDA, we still dont have the actual name of the customer the series was commissioned by. Searches so far have been fruitless. I have not been able to find a Texaco Dealer Association, though such an organization is a possibility. Texaco oil was in a turmoil from the early 1980's forward with mergers, buyouts, and all sorts of business changes.
TEDA does stand for the chemical compound triethylenediamine, a well known catalyst used in the manufacture of polyurethane. Texaco is now owned by Chevron so, without some source of confirmation from outside of that company, we may well be looking at the next Prince Albert knives!
Michael
PS- Any helpful information anyone could provide on this series would be most appreciated!
Here is the last thread on this series for reference from April of this year:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466466&highlight=Lube
The 507SC, as most of you know, is the LB-7 Lockback pattern which presents a large, relatively flat uninterrupted canvas for Schrade Scrimshaw art. While more costly to produce because of its size and complexity as a short run SFO, the 507SC was nonetheless chosen time after time by many businesses and organizations for their special orders and by Schrade for their own commemorative series.
The three knives I have noted are (in no particular order):
1. 507SC - Mechanic working on antique car engine inside service station
2. 507SC - Mechanic jacking up an antique car inside service station
3. 507SC - Mechanic working on antique car engine seen from outside service station
All three have the F. Giorgianni signature on the art suggesting pre-1993 manufacture, or at least origin of the artwork. However none have the commonly added two didgit date we have come to expect from Mr. Giorgiannis art. Not unheard of but uncommon.
In coming up with a working title for the series, I chose the text of the signs illustrated in two of the issues, Oil & Lube. Besides the artist, the mechanics, cars and service stations, one constant design detail emerges from the three issues. In each artwork a gas pump is visible through the doorway or in the foreground. It bears the distinctive Texaco star. I doubt this was accidental.
Archiving every photo I have come across has yielded a few clues. On one box slipcase the stamping reads 0216 / TEDA 507SC . 0216 was obviously the serial number of the enclosed knife. Each example I have seen of these issues were serialized on the lower front bolster, the highest seen so far being #2008.
I finally found the insert with the name of the series:
So now we have an official Commemorative Series Title, Mechanic Commemorative and the date (for at least the first knife mentioned) of 1989.
I still have no idea if this issue was the first (1989,90,91), middle (1988,89,90) or last (1987,88,89) of the series, or if all three were produced in 1989. And while We have the SFO name TEDA, we still dont have the actual name of the customer the series was commissioned by. Searches so far have been fruitless. I have not been able to find a Texaco Dealer Association, though such an organization is a possibility. Texaco oil was in a turmoil from the early 1980's forward with mergers, buyouts, and all sorts of business changes.
TEDA does stand for the chemical compound triethylenediamine, a well known catalyst used in the manufacture of polyurethane. Texaco is now owned by Chevron so, without some source of confirmation from outside of that company, we may well be looking at the next Prince Albert knives!
Michael
PS- Any helpful information anyone could provide on this series would be most appreciated!
