Novelty Cutlery Co. Canton Ohio: Not cheap crap or rude jokes.

[screened porch]

When I see "novelty", I think itching powder (fiberglass dust), X-ray spectacles (they don't work), plastic fangs (they won't scare your friends) plastic third eyes (they won't amaze your friends), plastic vomit and poop (they might briefly disgust your friends), etc.

"Novelty" probably meant 'something new' when Augustus Vignos started putting clear and detailed photos and text under clear handle covers.

I just saw the face on the left this morning. There were probably three of them, to go with the F, L or E, and T on the right.

The celluloid has attacked the paper and fizzled out (or is biding its time) before getting to the metal.


Very solidly made, with an elegantly detailed yet sturdy main blade, and perfect walk and talk.

 

[RickHuf]

When I see "novelty", I think itching powder (fiberglass dust), X-ray spectacles (they don't work), plastic fangs (they won't scare your friends) plastic third eyes (they won't amaze your friends), plastic vomit and poop (they might briefly disgust your friends), etc.

"Novelty" probably meant 'something new' when Augustus Vignos started putting clear and detailed photos and text under clear handle covers.

I just saw the face on the left this morning. There were probably three of them, to go with the F, L or E, and T on the right.

The celluloid has attacked the paper and fizzled out (or is biding its time) before getting to the metal.


Very solidly made, with an elegantly detailed yet sturdy main blade, and perfect walk and talk.

F.L.T. is friendship Love and Truth, an Oddfellows slogan. Very neat find. That symbol with the letters in ovals was common on watch dials as well.


I also have one of these knives. It was well loved and I can make out James A Grafton of Walker Street in Charlestown on the one side, but the reverse is pretty destroyed. Splitback cigar whittler.

It was a very well made knife and I'd really like to find one from this company in better shape, but honestly after a few passes on a stone and some oil it's ready for another 3000 miles.
View attachment 2501428

 

[screened porch]

F.L.T. is friendship Love and Truth, an Oddfellows slogan. Very neat find. That symbol with the letters in ovals was common on watch dials as well.


I also have one of these knives. It was well loved and I can make out James A Grafton of Walker Street in Charlestown on the one side, but the reverse is pretty destroyed. Splitback cigar whittler.

It was a very well made knife and I'd really like to find one from this company in better shape, but honestly after a few passes on a stone and some oil it's ready for another 3000 miles.
View attachment 2501426View attachment 2501427View attachment 2501428

Thanks for the oddfellows link. I had a lodge sword that I identified as oddfellows by the symbols on it, one being the three-link chain, but I'd forgotten what the three links stood for, and the one on my sword didn't have letters in it.

I gave the sword to an oddfelow from Chicago, and I think the nearest oddfellow to SW Michigan besides him was in Canada.

 

[afishhunter]

Would y'all consider the 1950's/1960's CAMILLUS 'RIDERS OF THE SILVER SCREEN' Moose (10 stars/knives) "Novelty Knives"?

They were well made sturdy, suitable and capable to peel and butcher North American upland game and big game, or clean an fish ... like any other moose or 2 blade slipjoint folding hunter.

(shame the Camillus are somewhat rare and realatively expensive these days.)

 

[screened porch]

Would y'all consider the 1950's/1960's CAMILLUS 'RIDERS OF THE SILVER SCREEN' Moose (10 stars/knives) "Novelty Knives"?

They were well made sturdy, suitable and capable to peel and butcher North American upland game and big game, or clean an fish ... like any other moose or 2 blade slipjoint folding hunter.

(shame the Camillus are somewhat rare and realatively expensive these days.)

I'd consider them to be doing the same thing as Novelty, but unless one of them bought Novelty Cutlery Co., I wouldn't consider their knives to be by Novelty.

 

[afishhunter]

I'd consider them to be doing the same thing as Novelty, but unless one of them bought Novelty Cutlery Co., I wouldn't consider their knives to be by Novelty.

Fair enough. I was "thinking" "Novelty CLASS" more than by Novelty Knife Co (currently a SMKW brand, BTW) which the are not.
(Neither are the "recently" made (inside the last 10 years) 5 with same series name by Rough Rider)
Not sure about the jack knife they have for Hopalong, Roy, and Gene. I think they are a NKC product, but may be mistooken.

 

[Jack Black]

Over 10 years ago, I can remember downloading these images, while researching a knife I had bought, which simply had 'USA' marked tangs.

 

[screened porch]

Fair enough. I was "thinking" "Novelty CLASS" more than by Novelty Knife Co (currently a SMKW brand, BTW) which the are not.
(Neither are the "recently" made (inside the last 10 years) 5 with same series name by Rough Rider)
Not sure about the jack knife they have for Hopalong, Roy, and Gene. I think they are a NKC product, but may be mistooken.

I had a feeling I was misunderstanding your question.
My answer was wrong anyway; I don't consider a Hazy Hills Novelty knife a Novelty any more than I consider Acme Camillus to be Camillus.

 

[rddp]

I wish I had more of these novelty knives. I'm sure there an incredible collection out there somewhere. This one by Thornton was given to me by a dear recently departed friend who picked it up in Asbury Park NJ years ago... Rest in Power Michael Longo - you are missed.