One of My Favourite Haunts: Knives on the High Street.

Loved the story and pics. There is nothing left like that where I live here in the Southern Appalachian Mountains but being 60 years old I remember little stores like that. Thanks for sharing.
 
Jolipapa said:
I hope this is not out of subject.
This is the Victorinox official Paris shop. They have nearly everything Victorinox makes, suitcases, kitchen knives (some with Japanese steel), and the left wall (>6m) is covered with SAKS.
Sorry for the poor picture I took it from the opposite street with my m/cycle gloveson my way home from Burgundy.
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Nice work again Jolipapa. need to get me to Paris. Where's the best place to go for traditional French knives I wonder?. :thumbup::confused::)
 
Jack Black said:
My apologies my friend, for missing this before:

Undoubtedly the most famous was the showroom of Joseph Rodgers & Sons, what a place that must have been to visit :)

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It's natural to think of a time machine, but really, if I walked into a shop like that, it would be humanly impossible to buy out the place, every single blade in the joint. And even if I did have the money to do it, carrying all that home would be a mite difficult.... (And I bet time machines don't have checked baggage, just carry-on only.)

Great photo, Jack. Thanks again.
 
r redden said:
Loved the story and pics. There is nothing left like that where I live here in the Southern Appalachian Mountains but being 60 years old I remember little stores like that. Thanks for sharing.
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Glad you like it r redden. Cant believe you have nothing like it where you are anymore, that's a shame. :(:thumbup:
 
Blake the Blade said:
Absolutely fantastic Jack, a veritable aladin's cave for sure. Anyone got a time machine? Obviously this is a prestigious cutler's emporium of the highest order. What interests me is how their products, and in particular their knives, made their way into the shopfronts on the high street. I would imagine their were sales Rep's involved for example, would this have been on a sale or return basis I wonder?. Also in the pictures I have eluded to the knives were often arranged in elaborate displays and cases, would this have been the business of the retailer or the company producing them?
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Sorry for missing this before. Reps there certainly were. I think established businesses were given credit, but I doubt there would have been sale or return. Displays were often supplied by the manufacturer I believe, but they would have been factored into the price I'm sure :thumbup: Oh for that time machine! :D
 
La Monnerie is very close to Thiers, there are several factories directly linked to cutlery (Au Sabot, Douris-Chastel, Goyon-Chazeau and a few others.)
On that occasion,retired members of the french forum where I also participate organize a meal à l'ancienne, with traditional sausage and cabbage. You have to bring your own knife as they just furnish the fork and the plate (and the glass, of course).

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Sounds like fun. How many knives do you drag along?
I have a couple of Asterix epics in English. Considering they must be written in French, the translators did a great job.
 
Sounds like a great time Jolipapa :thumbup:
 
scrteened porch said:
Sounds like fun. How many knives do you drag along?
I have a couple of Asterix epics in English. Considering they must be written in French, the translators did a great job.
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I have seen the many translations but never read one. As for any it must be hard to translate exactly, but they probably tried to catch the spirit of it. There are lots of puns based on the classic latin sentences learned at school and also characters inspired by actors/actress and other politicians that even young people do not recognize anymore.
Jack Black said:
Sounds like a great time Jolipapa :thumbup:
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I guess so, but I won't go this year, unfortunately as there is the SICAC the following week.
Some interessant knifemakers will attend that meal and it is always useful to chat with them.

http://couteauxdepoche.forumchti.com/t2833-soiree-chez-routu-apres-le-salon-la-monnerie?highlight=routu
There is a bunch of retired knifemakers/workers created an association, "les vieilles lames" (the old blades) that continue to go in the villages to repair / mend / hon / sharpen and build knives as a part of the local heritage. They make a fantastic job. Alas Thiers is too far from Paris to go there.
They have acquired a house to make a museum. See here : (the man in blue coat is Jean Issard, of Issard brand, now GR) http://couteauxdepoche.forumchti.com/t3374-les-vieilles-lames
This is all I found, I'll post more when I find the pictures.
 
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Fantastic stuff :thumbup: Great to hear about it :)
 
I'm an enthusiast for things "British" so many thanks to those for the nice stories, and pics of the knives and shops. Love the Parisian pics too.
 
Back from the dentist (:() I was not far from the Kindal shop. sorry for the phone pictures. By chance the delivery place was empty so I could park my hack.
Kindal1.jpg


The twins (ivory and ebony) are true beauties (never seen before will know more, my wallet is already trembling). just under is an Issard Big Hunter and the two smalls on the left are Mongin navettes (shuttles).

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Jolipapa said:
Back from the dentist (:() I was not far from the Kindal shop. sorry for the phone pictures. By chance the delivery place was empty so I could park my hack.
Kindal1.jpg


The twins (ivory and ebony) are true beauties (never seen before will know more, my wallet is already trembling). just under is an Issard Big Hunter and the two smalls on the left are Mongin navettes (shuttles).

Kindal2.jpg


Kindal3.jpg
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Good work my friend, you did real good. What a fine selection of knives in that window, much to be admired. The black and white ones look very nice indeed. I'd love to have a good look around inside. Thanks for making the effort to get the pictures and supply the info, it's very much appreciated. :):thumbup:
 
Blake the Blade said:
Yeah I guess there were more of the sorts of places that sold penknives and stuff in the past. I was born in 1968 and can remember hardware stores and even newsagents sold them, but that's all changed with the arrival of the superstores. Seems now, for the large part, only memory lane is lined with such interesting shops as these. :(
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Thank you for sharing your adventure Blake. I well remember the old time hardware stores and men's work clothes stores that were manned by OLD men that had probably worked there since the '30's or 40's. The selection of merchandise stacked on shelves that went to the (high) ceilings, the wonderful blend of scents, the creaky wood floors, the old cash registers and hand written receipts. I feel very blessed to have experienced some of that previous generation's way of life, although I still feel a dull pain and kind of homesickness having known how things were in comparison to today. I know it's much worse for my parents' generation and their parents.

BTW, I live in a small town of 10K that was incorporated in 1874. For several years I worked a late swing shift and didn't get home until 2AM. I'd change, then walk three miles downtown and back with my Beagle. At 2-3AM my town is empty and quiet, and due to the architecture and lack of vehicles on the curb, it's easy to pretend it's the late 1800's/early 1900's. I did that same three miles every night of the week for years because it was so relaxing.
 
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52100 said:
Thank you for sharing your adventure Blake. I well remember the old time hardware stores and men's work clothes stores that were manned by OLD men that had probably worked there since the '30's or 40's. The selection of merchandise stacked on shelves that went to the (high) ceilings, the wonderful blend of scents, the creaky wood floors, the old cash registers and hand written receipts. I feel very blessed to have experienced some of that previous generation's way of life, although I still feel a dull pain and kind of homesickness having known how things were in comparison to today. I know it's much worse for my parents' generation and their parents.

BTW, I live in a small town of 10K that was incorporated in 1874. For several years I worked a late swing shift and didn't get home until 2AM. I'd change, then walk three miles downtown and back with my Beagle. At 2-3AM my town is empty and quiet, and due to the architecture and lack of vehicles on the curb, it's easy to pretend it's the late 1800's/early 1900's. I did that same three miles every night of the week for years because it was so relaxing.
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Thanks 52100. Yeah it's nice when you get that feeling of being back in better times. I'm lucky in that I am able to take a route, when walking my dogs (Patterdale and West Highland terriers), that takes in most of the old part of town. Could be the mid-nineteenth century if I get it just right. Gives me a real sense of connection. We need o protect these links to our past. Thanks for your interest, you too conjure up a good, clear picture of life as it was in the good old days in your nick of the woods. Many thanks, Mark. :):thumbup:
 
52100 said:
For several years I worked a late swing shift and didn't get home until 2AM. I'd change, then walk three miles downtown and back with my Beagle. At 2-3AM my town is empty and quiet, and due to the architecture and lack of vehicles on the curb, it's easy to pretend it's the late 1800's/early 1900's. I did that same three miles every night of the week for years because it was so relaxing.
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I hate to wake up early, but the way sounds do sound different in the early morning is a great motivation!

Blake the Blade said:
The black and white ones look very nice indeed. I'd love to have a good look around inside.
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I fear theay are in the same price league as the others, so I did not get in as I had my checkbook! :rolleyes: But I'm curious and will pay another visit someday.

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Just had to add this wonderful image of an old hardware shop that used to be in the small town of Bognor Regis where I live. There would have been shops similar to this in every town in the country. This is the sort of place you would have gone for your penknife requirements back in the good old days. Bet there were some beauties in there somewhere. :thumbup::)
Untitled by Mark Saunders, on Flickr
 
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