"Old Knives"

[lambertiana]

A new centenarian has arrived at r8shell's Home For Old and Worn Out Knives

John S Holler & Co. Celebrated Cutlery (1867-1906)

It's a shame about the broken pen blade, but it does show the "Tower" stamp. That, and the lack of Germany marked on the tangs, leads me to think this could be from the 1800s time period.

From pictures on the auction site, I assumed it was ebony, but I'm pretty sure this is horn:

It could use a little wax to brighten up the covers, but it's in decent shape for use.

Cool knife, imagine the stories it could tell. Definitely horn.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Not really crisp anymore so these are sometimes in my pocket. All steel- war knives I suppose, a Schrade CutCo and a Western Boulder, about the same age as me. My pants are newer, though.

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Cal, you described these as War knives- same as age as you, mate- for 1st World war Knives- these are looking in fantastic condition !

 

[Campbellclanman]

A new centenarian has arrived at r8shell's Home For Old and Worn Out Knives

John S Holler & Co. Celebrated Cutlery (1867-1906)

It's a shame about the broken pen blade, but it does show the "Tower" stamp. That, and the lack of Germany marked on the tangs, leads me to think this could be from the 1800s time period.

From pictures on the auction site, I assumed it was ebony, but I'm pretty sure this is horn:

It could use a little wax to brighten up the covers, but it's in decent shape for use.

Great Old knife R8shell, that main blade is just awesome.

 

[r8shell]

Cool knife, imagine the stories it could tell. Definitely horn.

Very cool. I rarely find horn this old without any insect damage.

Great Old knife R8shell, that main blade is just awesome.

Thanks! The nail nick inside a wide swedge is a nice detail. Sometimes I think a broken pen blade is what saves an old knife. I imagine someone prying with and breaking a blade, then getting mad and throwing it into a drawer. Forgotten and unused for many years, the main blade doesn't wear out.

 

[Augie]

Here is one you don't see very often, a split spring small 3 1/4" Schrade Cut Co wharncliffe whittler.

 

[Augie]

Another small 3 1/4" split spring whittler, this one a cigar KeenKutter that still has a faint etch.

 

[black mamba]

Totally different jigging front and back. A repair, or just happened during a change-over? Beautiful either way.

 

[Augie]

Totally different jigging front and back. A repair, or just happened during a change-over? Beautiful either way.

Thanks Jeff, pins are the same both sides so made that way, wonder if that piece of bone only went through the jigging machine once, maybe supposed to go through a few times to get the random pattern, just guessing.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Two great additions Augie my friend, but that Cut Co is such a nice knife!

 

[majorpain1]

Robeson strawberry bone English jacks (1940-64). The 2 clip point versions are same model and tang stamp era but one has main in front and the other main in back. That seems odd to me. The 2 tang stamps look different so maybe different tooling for the same time period.

 

[Campbellclanman]

Nice Bone M majorpain1

 

[Augie]

Two great additions Augie my friend, but that Cut Co is such a nice knife!

Thank you Duncan, agreed on the Cut Co.

 

[Augie]

Couple of early jacks, a 3 3/4" Challenge and a Robeson bare end with nice Indian trail bone.

 

[afishhunter]

Couple of early jacks, a 3 3/4" Challenge and a Robeson bare end with nice Indian trail bone.


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A beautiful pair.
Have you been able to date the Challenge closer than 1899 to 1928?

I have a Challenge double end pen knife with stainless blades. Challenge was one of the first (if not the first) cutlery companies to offer stainless blades starting in 1916.
The company closed with the death of its owner/President/C.E.O, in 1928.
From what I have found on-line, Challenge was one of the premium/high end cutlery companies.

 

[veitsi_poika]

Here's an old Challenge hunter...

 

[Augie]

A beautiful pair.
Have you been able to date the Challenge closer than 1899 to 1928?

I have a Challenge double end pen knife with stainless blades. Challenge was one of the first (if not the first) cutlery companies to offer stainless blades starting in 1916.
The company closed with the death of its owner/President/C.E.O, in 1928.
From what I have found on-line, Challenge was one of the premium/high end cutlery companies.

Thank you, agree with you Challenge knives are a high quality vintage knife. It is hard to narrow down Challenge knives to a date range as they did not change tang stamps much, pretty much have to go by the characteristics of the knife such as pattern and bone. This tang stamp was one of the earliest and also has early bone so pretty sure this knife is around 1900.

 

[SteveC]

G. Butler lamb/spey

 

[wlfryjr]

Nice ones Cal and Rachel .

 

[Jack Sides]

This is a MOP carved English fruit knife The Hallmarks on the blade for Sheffield the date 1846 this knife was made Fifteen years before the Civil WarThe maker is John Oxley a registered blade smith and scissor maker. Beautiful MOP no cracks This knife sat in someone's drawer never used I bought it on line from an estate auction in England. My oldest knife 180 years old!

 

[tongueriver]

Magnificent!