Southington Cutlery Company "1867-1905" and Gardner Cutlery "1876"

Really like the stamped blade Joe !! :thumbup::thumbup::)
 
I love reading Professor Primble's posts on the history of the cutlery industry.

It would be great if they were collected in a History 101 sticky.
 
Here are four of the five Southington knives that I have...I need to get pics of the last one. First, two in ebony




And two in cocobolo


 
Joe, awesome knife. Love the slender pen and the stamped blade. She's a beaut!

I agree!

Barlow that has since moved on to a friend's house:

southington008.jpg


Here's a Southington jack. It's got really strong springs on it and a real fine matchstrike on the pen.

southjack008.jpg


Ken Erickson did a version of this Southington in bone for me a while back:

congress013.jpg


This jack is nicely rounded on the scales:

southjackshield.jpg


southjackclose.jpg
 
Thanks for the history and pics, Primble. This is really interesting history. I'm amazed that I live in what was once a cutlery-rich part of the country, but I never see any of it come to light. Maybe all the Southingtons, Northfields and Russells migrated south to Primble's neck of the woods. :D
 
Absorbing read, excellent pictures to enhance the impressive text giving us illumination to a lost world. Thank you.

The stamping on the bolsters is really very aesthetic!

Regards, Will
 
Thanks for the history and pics, Primble. This is really interesting history. I'm amazed that I live in what was once a cutlery-rich part of the country, but I never see any of it come to light. Maybe all the Southingtons, Northfields and Russells migrated south to Primble's neck of the woods. :D

Another fantastic thread that reveal old treasures

Mike

Absorbing read, excellent pictures to enhance the impressive text giving us illumination to a lost world. Thank you.

The stamping on the bolsters is really very aesthetic!

Regards, Will

Very much appreciated guys and I also appreciate the participation in the thread. :thumbup::thumbup::)

I wonder if any of you wondered about the Barlow logo used by Mr. Gardner on his Barlow and it's likeness to the Lamson & Goodnow logo. I wonder who owned the rights to the logo and if anyone really cared, back then? I suppose that Mr. Gardner could have had it designed during the years that he was managing Lamson & Goodnow and thought it to be his property. The logo is still used today by Lamson & Goodnow, bankrupt in the year 2014, however, remaining in business. :D

2dmbkhs.jpg


Lamson%20and%20Goodnow%20Logo%205BW_zpsntjuxfrj.jpg~original
 
Some other things which I ran across while researching the Gardner Barlow, from Google Images.

A Shelburne Falls Illustration, back in the day:
w1xtlu.jpg

Lamson & Goodnow Factory:
4v1j88.jpg

Lamson & Goodnow Factory (a different view):
2ue20co.jpg

Production machinery at Lamson & Goodnow:
10zae5e.jpg

Mr. Gardner's patent :
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Current day clip of Google maps at Shelburne Falls, Massachucetts - notice Lamson & Goodnow at the bottom and a street name of Gardner Avenue on the upper right:
Shelburne%20Falls%20Map_zpssgceecgi.jpg~original


Shelburne Falls Bridge of Flowers:
2qm0zz5.jpg
 
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Thanks for the history and pics, Primble. This is really interesting history. I'm amazed that I live in what was once a cutlery-rich part of the country, but I never see any of it come to light. Maybe all the Southingtons, Northfields and Russells migrated south to Primble's neck of the woods. :D

I sincerely wish you luck Robb - I sometimes offer incentives for those old knives to come to Pleasant Hill. :eek::D:D
 
Mr. Gardner's one piece liner/bolster makes a lot of sense. I wonder why it never caught on ?
I would think that with modern stainless steel it would make a very fine Traditional style folder.
There must be some drawback to this invention. Only one i can think of is that more handle material is required.
Any thoughts on this ?
kj
 
This is a 4 " Southington farmers jack.Very similar jigging and frames to early Ulsters.This jigging looks to me as an early form of the famous Schrade peach seed.

I am fortunate to have gotten an example in this shape.

Southingtonfarner458.jpg


Southingtonfarner459.jpg


Southingtonfarner460.jpg


Southingtonfarner461.jpg


Southingtonfarner465.jpg


Here it is with one of the Ulsters:

SouthingtonandUlstersbonecomp965.jpg
 
Mr. Gardner's one piece liner/bolster makes a lot of sense. I wonder why it never caught on ?
I would think that with modern stainless steel it would make a very fine Traditional style folder.
There must be some drawback to this invention. Only one i can think of is that more handle material is required.
Any thoughts on this ?
kj

Like a lot of cutlery inventions, efficiency often compromised aesthetics. :p
While clever and useful, Gardner's one-piece knife would be about as desirable as a box cutter.:grumpy:
The knives we most like to collect today are almost always prized for their beauty and craftsmanship. And those qualities are what sell knives now, and sold them then.:thumbup:
I suspect a thread on ugly, old knives could run a few pages, but how many of us have knives we think are ugly, that come from the time of past generations??:confused:
 
This is a 4 " Southington farmers jack.Very similar jigging and frames to early Ulsters.This jigging looks to me as an early form of the famous Schrade peach seed.

I am fortunate to have gotten an example in this shape.

I would think that is one rare Southington. Your FJ collection continues to amaze me Lyle !! :eek::thumbup::thumbup::)
 
Some of my old post card pictures from Southington:

Southington%20trolley_zpsbi5t3nau.jpg~original


Southington%20town%20hall_zpsc5x2zpbi.jpg~original


Main%20and%20Center%20CC_zpsvezgxzts.jpg~original


Peck%20Stow%20Wilcox_zpsfsfbv3sk.jpg~original


North%20Main%20Street_zpsruyocyei.jpg~original


I thought the post cards would be nice to have with my old Barlow. ;)
 
I think they will compliment the knife very well! Looks like a wonderful place to live your life:thumbup::thumbup:
 
Thank you Gevo. I agree with you, as well. ;):)
 
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