Old west folders

[Timothy75]

I was wondering if someone could recommend some currently produced folding knifes that would have been availible in 1865-1890 America. I'd also love to see any pics of originals someone might have. I've done some searching but havent found much in the way of pocket knives. Thanks

 

[Blues]

Barlows, clasp knives, navajas and regular jacks would probably be your best bet. These styles are still made though the original companies may no longer be around.

 

[Blues]

This old Russell "Daddy Barlow" dates from circa 1890 (or just a bit later) according to the archivist/historian for Russell:

 

[lambertiana]

Maybe the best thing to do is look at catalog pages from the time period. Here are some from the 1886 HSB catalog:

 

[lambertiana]

And here are a couple Maher & Grosh ads from around 1887:

There aren't many of these patterns available as current production these days. You can get some old ones on ebay, I have quite a few that I have procured there. You can still find barlows, and congress patterns. There is also this teardrop, which I like a lot:

And some of the cigar patterns from Great Eastern aren't too far off:

 

[lambertiana]

And for your entertainment, here are a few more pages from the 1886 HSB catalog:

I think it is safe to say that there was some variety.

 

[Blues]

Those catalogs are awesome! Thanks for posting them. :thumbup:

 

[PG5768]

Wow, lambertiana, pocket knives were expensive in the 1880's. A $10 knife in 1886 dollars is about equivalent to a $220 knife in 2009 dollars.

 

[lambertiana]

Note that those are wholesale prices, and per dozen, not individual knife prices.

 

[messer454]

Wow, lambertiana, pocket knives were expensive in the 1880's. A $10 knife in 1886 dollars is about equivalent to a $220 knife in 2009 dollars.

Isn't that $10 per dozen? Some of them said 50-65 cents?

 

[billinvegas]

I'll take a dozen of each the following Maher and Grosh congress knives...
Bone
Pearl
Ivory
Stag
should come to about $96 or so...

 

[lambertiana]

Here are some pictures of a few in my collection that could be from that time period:

 

[PG5768]

Note that those are wholesale prices, and per dozen, not individual knife prices.

Isn't that $10 per dozen? Some of them said 50-65 cents?

My bad. Good catch. I should have paid more attention to the rest of the info.

So they were less than a dollar each back then and equivalent to about $20 wholesale now. So closer to today's prices, then.

 

[WA Martin]

Wow, love the catalog pages. Makes me envious. Would like to have a handful or two of some of those.

 

[Will Power]

That catalogue material is fabulous:thumbup:
Must save that for future reference, I'd dearly like to find some of those pages(knives wouldn't be bad either)

 

[mnblade]

Maybe the best thing to do is look at catalog pages from the time period. Here are some ...

Thanks for the amazing knife porn! Who's got a time machine I can borrow?

-- Mark

 

[kai76]

Wow those are all beauties!

 

[Mike Robuck]

Plus 1 on the old catalog scans. Here are a few more from Late 1880s:

Here's a jack from that time period, made for export to the U.S.:

 

[coniferwoodsman]

Wow! Those are really cool pages- thanks for posting them.

 

[comoha]

Some of those catalog knife descriptions are funny.
Read the Maher and Grosh No.59. "The large class of idiots who worship everything English would think this knife cheap at $1.50 if it had been imported, but no English knife was ever made where the blades are so uniformly good and so carefully tested."