"Old Knives"

Novaculite said:
Please pardon me for commenting on a post that is four years old, but I found your wonderful Gregg knife on bladeforums only now, a week after buying two straight razors made by "GREGG, 27 Sloane Sq". I found them at a flea market in London, bone-handled and in fine condition, at least good enough to get a comfortable and close shave. My son and I have done a little research on James Gregg of Sloane Square and came up with this:

According to information available on the internet, James Gregg was a cutler working out of a shop at 50 Tothill Street, Westminster, London (located a block east of the St. James's Park underground station and two blocks west of Westminster Abbey). Whether he owned the shop or was employed there, I don't know. In or around the years 1852-1862 he moved the shop to, or perhaps went into business on his own at 27 Sloane Square, London (on the southwest corner of Sloane Square, just where King's Road enters into Sloane Square). I visited the site a week ago and of course found no trace of any cutlery business, only high-end clothing stores. Even the street number is no longer there. There is a womens' boutique with the address 27a Sloane Square, and to the left of that is a shop with the number 28. The shop on the right already has a King's Road address. Discussions I have seen on the internet indicate that James Gregg made and sold high quality wares. He died on August 28, 1884, and his daughter Caroline Emily Schultz inherited his estate (according to the the London Gazette of October 14, 1884). It is mentioned there that she was the wife of a certain Friedrich Heinrich Carl Schultz. Sometime after this date the name stamped on tools from this shop changed from "James Gregg" or "J Gregg" to simply "Gregg,", and according to one source on the internet it changed to "Gregg & Co" or "J Gregg & Co" in 1910. The voters lists for London in 1899 list a Friedrich Heinrich Carl Schultz, and in the same lists for the years 1907, 1912 and 1913 a Heinrich Gregg Schultz can be found. These lists include no further information, just the name.

The rest of what I write here is purely hypothetical. My assumption is that Friedrich Heinrich Carl Schultz was James Gregg's employee, who then became his son-in-law. Judging by the extreme Germanic quality of that name, it is possible that he was a cutler from Germany who had moved to London. My further assumption is that Schultz and his wife Caroline, the daughter of James Gregg, had a son whom they named Heinrich Gregg Schultz, maybe to keep the name Gregg in the family, which was still being stamped on their tools. All traces of the family and the business appear to have been lost as of 1915, at least I haven't found anything more pertaining to it. The disappearance as of 1915 is not surprising due to the First World War having commenced, which resulted in massive anti-German sentiment in the UK. Numerous German-owned businesses were confiscated by the government at that time, one of the most notable being the present-day Wigmore Hall, a venue for classical concerts in London, which prior to World War I was owned by the Berlin piano manufacturer Bechstein. James Gregg of Sloane Square, being run by someone whose name revealed his German heritage, could not possibly have survived under those circumstances.

I do have a question for VCM3: Can you tell me why you assume your knife is pre-1890? One internet source I ran across in England noted that the "& Co" was added after 1910. Maybe there is something about your fine Gregg knife that reveals its age, something that you can recognize and I am ignorant of.
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I know this is a really old thread I two own a pair of Gregg straight razors brilliant shavers
 
danno50 said:
Nice one Augie, looks hardly used. Here is another, slightly different, Schrade Cut Co electrician's knife. To unlock the screwdriver blade you have to press down on the master blade.

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Red Devil (Smith & Hemenway)
It has the same type of locking mechanism, but unfortunately it's too worn down to lock anymore.

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Snowy day here, good chance to take some pics! ;)
My pics seem to come out better in overcast conditions.
Got a few well used specimens and couple of pretty nice ones but first is this little gem that hark-ins back to a different era...
Just 2 5/8" closed including the bail, an engraved sterling silver covered vest pocket knife. With a Clip main, a button hook secondary that also has a manicure file in the hook!! 😎
S&M (of course):rolleyes: New York stamp 1896-1902 Pretty neat little knife!!!
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Dave
 
Another well used old soldier, this 4 1/4" Equal-end Cigar pattern I'm sure has had a useful life! Spear main, pen secondary with french pulls. Nice jigged bone, Brass liners and catch bit on a single spring, another Gimp shield but normal size.
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Dave
 
I sure would have liked to get my grubby hands on this Beauty 120 years ago when she was in her prime!
A 4" Premium Stockman with Pearl covers, coined liners and a Federal shield.
The Clip main has been tipped :( and only the pen blade hasn't been worn to death. The Sheepfoot and Spey sure have been!
I can only imagine that she was a prized possession way back, I know it would be for me.
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Dave
 
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Last but not least, is this Griffon XX Bridgeport, CT stamped Bareheaded Jack.
Made by S&M but in the Titusville era 1903-1930 so not as old as the rest of today's offerings.
Sheepfoot Main with a French pull, steel liners, Ebony covers and another Gimp shield.
Love the reverse tang stamp!!!
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Have a GREAT week!!
Dave
 
knowtracks said:
This old well used coke bottle pattern spoke to me, not only the N.Y. stamp but also the over-sized Gimp shield. Sure reminded me of Charlie's SFO "Black Jack"
3 1/2" closed, Ebony covers,Half stops and still a Hard snap!
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Dave
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I really like the cokebottle pattern. You occasionally see the large cokebottle folding hunters, but the cokebottle jack is much harder to find. I only have one, from Ulster.
 
knowtracks said:
One more Gowanda stamped knife in this bunch for today. This one's in remarkable shape for her age!
A 3 3/8" Bareheaded Jack with some excellent jigged bone, hammered pins, steel liners and a Federal shield.
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Nice bunch of Oldies, Dave!! I also like that Jigged bone; kinda long "stringy jigs"!!! Great bunch of true antiques!!
 
Dave, I am only repeating what our friends have said above ^

I love each one, they all tell a story, like you say, we don't see much of that first wee beauty you shared- let alone ANY of these! :eek:
I have an old Ulster Harness Jack KnIfe, where the Wood is worn down around the Shield and very worn area by the liner- also the pins are starting to become proud with the slightest raise of Wood - in other words simply worn down around the pin, these haven't been sanded, it was someones absolute love and their worry stone quite possibly. Its the older Ulster and the Punch is just magnificent, so I get it with the old and worn my friend.

That Gowanda Jack and Griffin are out of this World Dave!

Dave the Beads and Feathered Bead - can you tell us about them / era etc.? 🙏
 
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Duncan, The glass beads are Italian, made in Venice used in America from early on after colonization thru the fur trade era 1840 and probably longer. Traded with Native Americans. But used in Africa for at least 200 years before that time. Still being made today but it's pretty easy to tell new from older.
The feather pendant was carved and painted by a Native American. The red wolf track is his signature. He also used bison bone to make the cylindrical "hair pipe " beads.
Quite an interesting history behind the bead trade.

Dave
 
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knowtracks said:
Last but not least, is this Griffon XX Bridgeport, CT stamped Bareheaded Jack.
Made by S&M but in the Titusville era 1903-1930 so not as old as the rest of today's offerings.
Sheepfoot Main with a French pull, steel liners, Ebony covers and another Gimp shield.
Love the reverse tang stamp!!!
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Have a GREAT week!!
Dave
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Beautiful Dave,

I’m not familiar with the term French pull, what’s the history behind the term?
 
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