Mysterious Schrade/Cattaraugus automatic

C

cjp617

Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
4
What I have is a two bladed automatic knife that measures 3 and 3/8th inches closed. It has a triggering device on each side, slightly offset from center to actuate each individual blade. I've been told the handle material is tortise shell, and the end caps are silver.
The bottom of one blade is marked "CATTARAUGUS CUTLERY Co. LITTLE VALLEY N.Y."on one side and "L.C. US PAT OF" and has something I can't make out in script above it on the other. The other blade has "CATTARAUGUS CUTLERY Co. LITTLE VALLEY N.Y." on one side and"U.S. PAT MARCH 5 1918" on the other.
One blade is broken off at the bottom, and the other has been sharpened so many times, it's missing about 1/8th of an inch. in length. I believe that when it was new, both blades would have been about 2 inches long.
The springs and other internal mechanisms are in perfect working order, and thehandles are not cracked or chipped.
I did some research on the patent date, and found that the knife was actually invented and patented by GEORGE SCHRADE. (Patent number 1,258,150).
So this leads me to the questions....Did Schrade buy blades from Cattaraugus? Did Cattaraugus have permission to copy the patent? How old is it? How rare is it? What's it worth? Please, if you have some information on this, let me know. Thanks for your time and help. If you email me directly I can email you some pictures that may help in identifying it.
 
I found reference to Cattaraugus switch blades "Although They never manufactured switchblades they did contract for some switchblades. This was done mostly between 1918 & 1929, when Geo Schrade was producing his Flylock knives at Challenge Cutlery Corp in Bridgeport, CT. They contracted at least 3 different models"
A 3 3/8 double, 4 1/8 single and a 5" single clip blade.
I have a picture of one of the dbl blades in mint condition. The author states his belief that you have a valuable piece.
Reference "Antique American Switchblades" by Mark Erickson

Hope that helps.
Larry
P.S.
Send pictures!
 
Boy, that is interesting. I knew that Case and Remington had had autos made by Schrade, but I never knew about the Cattauragus contract auto's. In over 30 years of collecting I've nver seen one.
 
cjp617,
Welcome to the Schrade forum. I told you these folks know their stuff. And the "Duke" of autos hasn't even weighed in yet......Oh, LT....we know you're out there, "Come on down" please... :D

Bill
 
We need LT to talk about the handles.
While I doubt it was real tortise shell I have no idea what it was. We probably need a picture! Hint, hint

TTYL
LArry
 
Thanks Larry, Bill and knifeaholic for the quick response. I sent Larry some pictures, and he said he would try and post them on the site. I tried last night , but for some reason it wouldn't let me. If he can't get them on the site and you want to see them, just let me know and I'll send them to you.
Can't wait to hear from the "Duke" of autos. Also, how bad does the broken blade affect the value? 'Til then....
 
Yes it is a 3,3/8" contract double in imi tort cell. The tang makes it rare, in mint condition, worth quite a bit, in your condition, only a rarity for the tang. which would reflect heavily on the price. Mint perhapes up to 1000 for someone really dieing for the rare tang. More realisticly 300 to 400 and in your condition you are looking for someone who wants that tang perhapes 100 to 150 for someone really dieing for it. A regular Schrade presto or in this case a flylock by Challange cutlery, in that condition 35 to 50 tops. I am glad you mentioned Marks book I remember when he stayed at my house so that he could help me and learn a bit when I wrote my book. I recommended his publisher since I was already committed to Paladin and had turned down there offer. He is a nice young fellow and did a nice book. LT PS now that I can see a pic yours is called a tipper ( small metal bolsters ). I added a few pics to show a few variations under the regular Flylock tang. Just because they are nice to look at. I hope someone enjoys them I think they are great old artifacts of history.
 
Here are the 5 pictures I received today. Pretty handles. Too bad the blades are in such rough shape.
Knife1.JPG

Knife2.JPG

Knife3.JPG

Knife4.JPG

knife5.JPG
 
Thanks for the great information Lt632ret, I sure wish the blades were in better condition, and someone wanted it.... Heck, if someone was wanting it now in it's condition, I would gladly take 150 for it. I'm more of a gun enthusiast.

Say, you didn't happen to serve on the Von Steuben did you? Your sign in name would lead me to believe that you were a Mustang Weapons Officer or something like that.

Thank you all for your inputs, if you have more to add, please keep the information flowing.

Chris
 
To all,
Where should I go, or how should I go about trying to sell this knife to get the most out of it? It's not that I don't appreciate owning such a knife, but I just think it may be served better to be owned by someone with a ture interest and love for knives and their history.

Chris
 
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