"Old Knives"

[r8shell]

Picked up this old Utica teardrop this week, I think this is an early one, both blades have curved Utica tang stamps, hammered pins, great bone and a very unique profile spear blade with a very wide pull, lot of interesting features on this jack.

Fantastic! That bone doesn't even look all that pocket-worn. You must have a time machine.

Thanks everyone for the comments on the Robeson. I've been on a lucky streak with jacks lately, it's funny how vintage knife collecting works, go months without finding anything and then the floodgates open.

I know what you mean. I've been lucky recently, myself. I am quite partial to ebony bareheaded Jacks, especially ones around 100 years old. Last week I got a New Britain Knife Co small jack knife:

And today, this Valley Forge arrived. There's no "VF" in circle on the back of the tang, so I'm thinking it's pre-Boker production: 1890s. It's big and heavy, 4 inches closed, and the main blade opens with a thunderous snap! The extra long front bolster doesn't quite make it a Barlow, but it's close. I think the wood could be cocobolo, with more brown grain showing on the mark side.

It's been a good month for knife hunting!

 

[veitsi_poika]

So bear with me with a lengthy story, but I think it is pretty neat. I was bored last weekend cuz it rained all day on Saturday so I started trolling the bay to see if I could catch any bargains. I stumbled across this beat up old coke bottle knife that was actually labeled "vintage antique coke knife" which I thought was funny. The pictures were unclear but I looked at it close and thought the tang stamp may have read "Queen" but then I could see a faint "NY" in the middle of the stamp so I really had no idea what it was. Here is the image from the online listing:



The seller was asking too much for a knife I couldn't identify so I moved along. Later on that night I got back in the boat for more knife fishing and came across another coke bottle knife that was in much better shape and low & behold, this was the tang stamp on it:



The minute I saw it, I knew it was the same tang stamp that I had seen on the "coke knife" earlier that day so I grabbed the Goins Encyclopedia which said Continental Cutlery Co, c.1915-1920 and I said "cool, I'm making offers on both knives." Both sellers accepted and here they are:








The only thing I have been able to find so far is that Continental Cutlery Co was a manufacturer and an importer. To me it seems like one of these knives is significantly older than the other but Goins / Shackleford both say c.1915-1920, so I think there is some history with this manufacturer that is yet to be uncovered. Shackleford had a reference to a Continental Cutlery out of Missouri which was associated with Clark Bros in Kansas City... Clark Bros claim to fame in our world is that they bought Northfield Knife Co in 1919 and operated it until 1929. Looks like I'll be doing some research this weekend. Let me know if you have any info on my two "catches" BTW, these are my first two coke bottle style knives

 

[r8shell]

So bear with me with a lengthy story, but I think it is pretty neat. I was bored last weekend cuz it rained all day on Saturday so I started trolling the bay to see if I could catch any bargains. I stumbled across this beat up old coke bottle knife that was actually labeled "vintage antique coke knife" which I thought was funny. The pictures were unclear but I looked at it close and thought the tang stamp may have read "Queen" but then I could see a faint "NY" in the middle of the stamp so I really had no idea what it was. Here is the image from the online listing:

View attachment 930699

The seller was asking too much for a knife I couldn't identify so I moved along. Later on that night I got back in the boat for more knife fishing and came across another coke bottle knife that was in much better shape and low & behold, this was the tang stamp on it:

View attachment 930718

The minute I saw it, I knew it was the same tang stamp that I had seen on the "coke knife" earlier that day so I grabbed the Goins Encyclopedia which said Continental Cutlery Co, c.1915-1920 and I said "cool, I'm making offers on both knives." Both sellers accepted and here they are:

View attachment 930724
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The only thing I have been able to find so far is that Continental Cutlery Co was a manufacturer and an importer. To me it seems like one of these knives is significantly older than the other but Goins / Shackleford both say c.1915-1920, so I think there is some history with this manufacturer that is yet to be uncovered. Shackleford had a reference to a Continental Cutlery out of Missouri which was associated with Clark Bros in Kansas City... Clark Bros claim to fame in our world is that they bought Northfield Knife Co in 1919 and operated it until 1929. Looks like I'll be doing some research this weekend. Let me know if you have any info on my two "catches" BTW, these are my first two coke bottle style knives

I don't know if one of those is older than the other, or was just "rode hard and put away wet" Also. it's pure speculation on my part, but perhaps the one with the shield was a higher end offering of the same pattern, with premium wood like ebony or cocobolo, rather than the "edc" version with something like walnut, and no shield. The cheaper one being used more, with less care. I wish we could find the original catalogs and advertisements for so many of the knives posted in this thread!

 

[mitch4ging]

So bear with me with a lengthy story, but I think it is pretty neat. I was bored last weekend cuz it rained all day on Saturday so I started trolling the bay to see if I could catch any bargains. I stumbled across this beat up old coke bottle knife that was actually labeled "vintage antique coke knife" which I thought was funny. The pictures were unclear but I looked at it close and thought the tang stamp may have read "Queen" but then I could see a faint "NY" in the middle of the stamp so I really had no idea what it was. Here is the image from the online listing:

View attachment 930699

The seller was asking too much for a knife I couldn't identify so I moved along. Later on that night I got back in the boat for more knife fishing and came across another coke bottle knife that was in much better shape and low & behold, this was the tang stamp on it:

View attachment 930718

The minute I saw it, I knew it was the same tang stamp that I had seen on the "coke knife" earlier that day so I grabbed the Goins Encyclopedia which said Continental Cutlery Co, c.1915-1920 and I said "cool, I'm making offers on both knives." Both sellers accepted and here they are:

View attachment 930724
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View attachment 930728
View attachment 930729
View attachment 930730
The only thing I have been able to find so far is that Continental Cutlery Co was a manufacturer and an importer. To me it seems like one of these knives is significantly older than the other but Goins / Shackleford both say c.1915-1920, so I think there is some history with this manufacturer that is yet to be uncovered. Shackleford had a reference to a Continental Cutlery out of Missouri which was associated with Clark Bros in Kansas City... Clark Bros claim to fame in our world is that they bought Northfield Knife Co in 1919 and operated it until 1929. Looks like I'll be doing some research this weekend. Let me know if you have any info on my two "catches" BTW, these are my first two coke bottle style knives

Nice find! Those rainy days can be costly!
The front bolsters on the older looking one almost appears like wrought iron, grain texture wise, very cool looking.

 

[blademan 13]

Kevin, looks like the beater may have been rehandled as the center pin is not visible? Nice pair just the same.

 

[r8shell]

Kevin, looks like the beater may have been rehandled as the center pin is not visible? Nice pair just the same.

Good point. Maybe they put new covers on without disassembling the knife, just re-pinning the slabs.

 

[veitsi_poika]

Kevin, looks like the beater may have been rehandled as the center pin is not visible? Nice pair just the same.

That makes sense Jamie... maybe it originally had some poor celluloid handles and gassed out? They did a good job shaping the wood but lacked on skill for the pins LoL.

 

[Bartleby]

That makes sense Jamie... maybe it originally had some poor celluloid handles and gassed out? They did a good job shaping the wood but lacked on skill for the pins LoL.

Good thing they left the patina on the metal work intact! Makes me wonder if it came from a coastal salt water environment. They really make an interesting pair together!

 

[Gevonovich]

So bear with me with a lengthy story, but I think it is pretty neat. I was bored last weekend cuz it rained all day on Saturday so I started trolling the bay to see if I could catch any bargains. I stumbled across this beat up old coke bottle knife that was actually labeled "vintage antique coke knife" which I thought was funny. The pictures were unclear but I looked at it close and thought the tang stamp may have read "Queen" but then I could see a faint "NY" in the middle of the stamp so I really had no idea what it was. Here is the image from the online listing:

View attachment 930699

The seller was asking too much for a knife I couldn't identify so I moved along. Later on that night I got back in the boat for more knife fishing and came across another coke bottle knife that was in much better shape and low & behold, this was the tang stamp on it:

View attachment 930718

The minute I saw it, I knew it was the same tang stamp that I had seen on the "coke knife" earlier that day so I grabbed the Goins Encyclopedia which said Continental Cutlery Co, c.1915-1920 and I said "cool, I'm making offers on both knives." Both sellers accepted and here they are:

View attachment 930724
View attachment 930725
View attachment 930726
View attachment 930727
View attachment 930728
View attachment 930729
View attachment 930730
The only thing I have been able to find so far is that Continental Cutlery Co was a manufacturer and an importer. To me it seems like one of these knives is significantly older than the other but Goins / Shackleford both say c.1915-1920, so I think there is some history with this manufacturer that is yet to be uncovered. Shackleford had a reference to a Continental Cutlery out of Missouri which was associated with Clark Bros in Kansas City... Clark Bros claim to fame in our world is that they bought Northfield Knife Co in 1919 and operated it until 1929. Looks like I'll be doing some research this weekend. Let me know if you have any info on my two "catches" BTW, these are my first two coke bottle style knives

Kevin, you have found two beauties ! Here is a thread I started that may be of some help in your research effort. I would love for you to add whatever you find out and your two beauties to the thread. Can't wait to find our what your extraordinary research skills come up with

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/continental-cutlery-co.1570726/

 

[veitsi_poika]

Kevin, you have found two beauties ! Here is a thread I started that may be of some help in your research effort. I would love for you to add whatever you find out and your two beauties to the thread. Can't wait to find our what your extraordinary research skills come up with

https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/continental-cutlery-co.1570726/

Awesome Gevo Looks like you all have been looking into this fairly recently and it sounds like most of the pieces of info are there. Goins/Shackleford do think the connection is there for Continental in Sheffield and NY and it sounds like your thread reached a similar conclusion with H herder 's last post there. It didn't take much Google image searching to find this Robeson coke bottle knife which looks identical to my Continental other than the bone. I will copy my posts to your thread and add any info I find there Thank you

 

[Lostball]

Steve, that is a nice old Camillus, not easy to find.

Thanks everyone for the comments on the Robeson. I've been on a lucky streak with jacks lately, it's funny how vintage knife collecting works, go months without finding anything and then the floodgates open.

Picked up this old Utica teardrop this week, I think this is an early one, both blades have curved Utica tang stamps, hammered pins, great bone and a very unique profile spear blade with a very wide pull, lot of interesting features on this jack.


View attachment 930539 View attachment 930540 View attachment 930541 View attachment 930542

Fantastic! That bone doesn't even look all that pocket-worn. You must have a time machine.

I know what you mean. I've been lucky recently, myself. I am quite partial to ebony bareheaded Jacks, especially ones around 100 years old. Last week I got a New Britain Knife Co small jack knife:
View attachment 930713
And today, this Valley Forge arrived. There's no "VF" in circle on the back of the tang, so I'm thinking it's pre-Boker production: 1890s. It's big and heavy, 4 inches closed, and the main blade opens with a thunderous snap! The extra long front bolster doesn't quite make it a Barlow, but it's close. I think the wood could be cocobolo, with more brown grain showing on the mark side.
View attachment 930721 View attachment 930722
It's been a good month for knife hunting!

Augie, gorgeous Utica....so many stunning features!!!!

r8shell, I wish I could have good knife find months like you are having. Real beauties!!!!

Both of you are displaying some great discoveries lately. How about sharing your secrets to those of us not so savvy.

 

[Duckdog]

A pair of pearlies. A Rodgers (Cutlers to His Majesty, No. 6 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, with star and cross, 1875-1900) pen and a Napanoch Knife Co. (NAPANOCH CO., NAPANOCH, N.Y. curved stamp, 1900-1919 and 1931-1938) pen.

- Stuart

 

[r8shell]

A pair of pearlies. A Rodgers (Cutlers to His Majesty, No. 6 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, with star and cross, 1875-1900) pen and a Napanoch Knife Co. (NAPANOCH CO., NAPANOCH, N.Y. curved stamp, 1900-1919 and 1931-1938) pen.

- Stuart

Those are lovely. I especially like the up-swept tip on the nail file.

 

[herder]

Great to see such a diverse group of old knives, thanks all.

 

[r8shell]

It is a bit like an addiction.

In order of approximate age:

 

[Campbellclanman]

Wow R8shell - That’s a great line up of Oldies there.
Can you at some stage give us the makers with that photo?

 

[Augie]

Nice group shot Rachel, love ebony jacks.

 

[veitsi_poika]

Well since variety is the spice of life, or at least the spice of this page might as well throw in a celluloid knife or two I posted pictures previously of the jack knife with these cool cell handles and found a pen knife with the same style... both knives are Stainless Steel Cutlery c.1924-1940. I found it unusual that the pen knife had a shield on both sides... must have been a pricey advertising knife!

 

[r8shell]

Nice group shot Rachel, love ebony jacks.

Thank you. They are my Kryptonite!

Wow R8shell - That’s a great line up of Oldies there.
Can you at some stage give us the makers with that photo?

Sure. left to right:

Valley Forge
Lenox
Terrier
New Britain
Russell
Boker USA
GEC

 

[glennbad]

Love the shield on that Valley Forge!