"Old Knives"

Oldy said:
Charlie Were these both made by w.r. case seeing how they look identical, I know a case relative worked at robeson at the time.
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If you look real close, there are subtle differences, Robert! Many companies made them, to military specs!! All similar!!
Here is a list of some of them!!Groups 3.jpg


Pics of some!!

Groups 1.jpg
 
Here is an aging, barely used Landers, Frary and Clark jack marked "UNIVERSAL" on the blade!! I don't know how to date these, but maybe someone can chime in!!?? Made in New Britain, Connecticut up until the 1930s!!
The handles look like Cocobola!!LFnC Universal Jack 1.jpgLFnC Universal Jack 2.jpg
Tang marks;
L.F.&C. over
N.B. Conn over U.S.A
 
waynorth said:
Here is an aging, barely used Landers, Frary and Clark jack marked "UNIVERSAL" on the blade!! I don't know how to date these, but maybe someone can chime in!!?? Made in New Britain, Connecticut up until the 1930s!!
The handles look like Cocobola!!View attachment 2959232View attachment 2959233
Tang marks;
L.F.&C. over
N.B. Conn over U.S.A
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Goins lists Universal USA 1912-1950. He says that the LF&C cutlery division ceased operations in 1950. But if you ask me, the pocket cutlery production may have ended earlier and the 1950 date may be for the table knife production. LF&C made huge quantities of table cutlery.
 
lambertiana said:
Goins lists Universal USA 1912-1950. He says that the LF&C cutlery division ceased operations in 1950. But if you ask me, the pocket cutlery production may have ended earlier and the 1950 date may be for the table knife production. LF&C made huge quantities of table cutlery.
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A good friend has the old catalogs, and found this:

"OK Charlie, here's what I found - Your knife is a Landers, Frary & Clark model 22125 3/4 and it was not in my 1914 catalog which had both H&B and LF&C pocket knives. The next oldest catalog I have is 1919 and this is where it first appears along with the 1922, 1926 and 1931 catalogs. If there's a catalog between 1914 and 1919, I've never seen it. I've attached an image of page 37 of the 1919 catalog.

The key to identifying LF&C knives isn't the tang stamp nor the etch but rather the pins, shield, covers and blade configurations. According to the catalog, your knife has cocobolo handles, a fine glazed blade finish, brass liners, is a barehead Jack with a single iron bolster (can be verified with a magnet), 4 nickel silver pins, a large clip main and pen secondary blades with a pinned nickel silver shield. The tang stamp and etch are 100% so you have yourself at least a 106 year old New England knife, possibly a tad more. The cost in 1919 was $14.40/dozen which in today's market is $267.74 or about $22/knife - a true bargain!"
Here is a picture from the old catalog!!LFC 22125.75 For CC.jpg
 
waynorth said:
A good friend has the old catalogs, and found this:

"OK Charlie, here's what I found - Your knife is a Landers, Frary & Clark model 22125 3/4 and it was not in my 1914 catalog which had both H&B and LF&C pocket knives. The next oldest catalog I have is 1919 and this is where it first appears along with the 1922, 1926 and 1931 catalogs. If there's a catalog between 1914 and 1919, I've never seen it. I've attached an image of page 37 of the 1919 catalog.

The key to identifying LF&C knives isn't the tang stamp nor the etch but rather the pins, shield, covers and blade configurations. According to the catalog, your knife has cocobolo handles, a fine glazed blade finish, brass liners, is a barehead Jack with a single iron bolster (can be verified with a magnet), 4 nickel silver pins, a large clip main and pen secondary blades with a pinned nickel silver shield. The tang stamp and etch are 100% so you have yourself at least a 106 year old New England knife, possibly a tad more. The cost in 1919 was $14.40/dozen which in today's market is $267.74 or about $22/knife - a true bargain!"
Here is a picture from the old catalog!!View attachment 2959831
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So the first appearance in a catalog was 1919 and the last appearance (at least in the collection of catalogs possessed by that person) was 1931. I wonder how long after 1931 this knife was offered.
 
lambertiana said:
So the first appearance in a catalog was 1919 and the last appearance (at least in the collection of catalogs possessed by that person) was 1931. I wonder how long after 1931 this knife was offered.
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Levine says that LFC stopped making pocketknives in the 1930s! I believe the 1931 catalog was the last pocketknife catalog. They shifted to only table cutlery after that!! Until the 1960s!!
 
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