George,
I have got to say Thank You for providing these very rare and wonderful examples of these old Case knives. Just unbelievable!..
In fact, I have never seen the actual" TESTEDXX " stamp before until now. I have heard about these tang stamped knives from the old timers I used to hang out with at knife shows in the 1980's, stating that these tang stamps were from the very late 1800's produced directly after the JBF Champlin & Sons Cutlery Company, Little Valley era. But have never actual seen one, nor have I been able to find a Tang Stamp Document showing and dating the CASE BROS, LITTLE VALLEY, N.Y and TESTEDXX stamp in any of my references. I even contacted Case some years back and not even the Case historian could provide me with one. So much so, that I thought it may be an urban myth of sorts wondering to myself if Case would ever stamp they're wares with a historically unknown stamp. Albeit two separate company's back at the turn of the century, I would have thought WR Case would have kept better track.
Anyway, I sure am most appreciative that you are sharing these with us here, cause I can't get enough of these.:thumbup:
EDIT TO ADD: Just re-read the Case family linage history from the middle late 1800's in, Sargent's 5Th Ed and although it still does not show this particular CASE BROS {over} LITTLE VALLEY {over} N.Y tang stamp, the documentation does verify that this knife was produced by Jean, John and Andrew Case right after they started the Case Bothers Cutlery Company in Little Valley, NY in 1896. The only other tang stamp that even comes close is the verifiably dated 1896, CASE BROS. & CO {over} GOWANDA, N.Y. stamped knives. This nails down the date for me at around 1896-1898.
Anthony
) but shes a cutter now.
)
