The Schrade Walden 153 Uncle Henry...Golden Spike & Schrade 153UH variations..

Updated Serial Survey:

Serial number range for the Schrade Walden 153UH so far;

00143
00220
00378
00438
00538
00690
00773
00786
01051
01666
01857

These are all the serials we have identified to date. (03-16-15)
 
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Attention fellow moderators: This is a research thread and not deal spotting. Please allow the link and pictures to remain.

Good find. Yes the brass has been polished IMHO. Not so certain about the blade steel. I'll have to do some more examining to know for sure. Also the packaging is mostly mismatched. After the auction ends, someone might wish to ask the seller about this. Please not before. Offer the seller no information!

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james counsellor said:
Great research and info on the railroad and golden spike Codger. Fun to read. Interesting to see another Bear Skinner box.
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Glad you liked it James! I missed replying to the question of why they would send a replica of the spike into space. From what I read on the glass case in the museum, it was to commemorate the continuation of exploration of the "final frontier", to paraphrase Gene Rodenberry of Star Trek fame. Many items have been sent into space and returned for commemorative purposes including U.S. Mail first day covers. Might have been more appropriate to drive the commemorative spike in space, but I guess vapor trails don't provide much purchase for railroad spikes.

I'll revisit the museum before long and spend some time talking to the curator. Having previously done this in other museums over the years, curators are just bubbling with enthusiasm to share the back rooms and trivia with someone who is receptive to learning more than the museum can display, and more than the sheer number of people parading through have interest in knowing. Thus I have handled some of the knives held in the Territorial Restoration in Little Rock (notable the James Black Bowie knives and their kin).

ETA: I am interested in hearing opinions, both expert and inexpert, on the finish on the above posted knife. Factory or do-overs?
 
I agree the brass has been polished up. The etch seems to be diminished, probably from cleaning. I would guess a hand polish with a dry buffing wheel. Looks like they were smart enough to stay away from the staglon with the wheel as that just burns it. The discoloration on the paper work corresponds with where the brass would sit on it. Don't know what to make of the old timer paper work. But the box really had to be factory. What's the chances of two people using a bear Skinner box after the fact. Especially when we only have 10 examples.
 
Eleven ;) But not many of those include original packaging. I think we all know that the early knives bring more on the collector market when complete with box and bling. It isn't farfetched that an earlier collector mismatched those items when repackaging for sale. Or that a current seller added them. I mean, how many people out there actually know the differences? I see below that out of all the collectors worldwide, only 75 have ever visited this thread to take advantage of the research we are offering (free I might add, not requiring the payment to an expert or purchase of a publication).
 
I could see how things get mixed up. I keep my knives in a wooden tool chest and the boxes and paperwork stored separately mixed in with some duplicate boxes. I have extra paperwork laying around. But this is two bear skinner boxes and if I recall right the first one came from a single owner who had a receipt and this one was from an estate sale from a private collection. Does not seem likely these were mixed up or put together for higher resale. But I've been wrong before.
 
Interesting that only 75 unique id's have visited this thread. I am assuming that doesn't include guests that aren't registered. I have notice you have to be creative with search terms and words sometimes to get the best information on any particular subject or knife that you might be researching. Thread titles in forums don't necessarily lend themselves to quick and accurate results. And as can be observed after reading through multiple threads spanning several years information evolves drastically sometimes. This particular thread on this particular knife variation on the 153 is a little more complete than many others over the same time span of this forum starting given dedicated and historians posting to it and obviously Codgers dedicated (free) archival services. Oh and Larry303's threads picture shows that make the Smithsonian web site look amateurish.
 
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fatcity67 said:
Interesting that only 75 unique id's have visited this thread.
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We read some of these threads, and some of these subforums and some of these forums and begin to think that there is a substantial quorum out there that is interested in Schrade knives, and beyond that, interested in traditional knives. Not true. All the people in the world interested in pursuing these hallowed halls would fit in a large building, and could, indeed, be possibly memorized as to face and name. The people who are interested in traditional knives which have been manufactured before (say) 2000 are winking out like fireflies. Even in the so-called 'traditional' forum here on bladeforums, these folk mostly are interested in knives currently for sale by current makers. A small group, ever smaller, is interested in the older knives. And even there, the term 'older,' calls up knives made in the '80s and '90s. not the 1920s and 1930s.
 
tongueriver said:
We read some of these threads, and some of these subforums and some of these forums and begin to think that there is a substantial quorum out there that is interested in Schrade knives, and beyond that, interested in traditional knives. Not true. All the people in the world interested in pursuing these hallowed halls would fit in a large building, and could, indeed, be possibly memorized as to face and name. The people who are interested in traditional knives which have been manufactured before (say) 2000 are winking out like fireflies. Even in the so-called 'traditional' forum here on bladeforums, these folk mostly are interested in knives currently for sale by current makers. A small group, ever smaller, is interested in the older knives. And even there, the term 'older,' calls up knives made in the '80s and '90s. not the 1920s and 1930s.
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As with everything else.

I was watching a 1940's movie on PBS starring Lucille Ball pre Desi and my 17 year old walks by and asks if that is Shirley Temple.:rolleyes:

I am luckly to have been born at the very tail end of the baby boom years and beginning of the GenX. Kinda like a sweet spot for being able to straddle two generations of interests and history.

Just wish I had paid more attention to collecting many of the things I took for granted.
 
just looked and someone bit on the asking price. i might have to shine up mine and find a box and some papers.
 
Time till number 12 pops up? Not to be morbid but as we get closer to 2020 more collections will be freed up as the greatest generation continues to ride off into the sunset.
 
I have a knife that was given to me by my father and it was his dads, it says Shrade Walden NY USA 153 on the tang as well as Uncle henry signature on one side of the guard and 00613 is the S/N I believe. I am not sure if you are looking specifically for a tang marked with Shrade Walden and 153UH or not but I will post pics as soon as I can.
 
....and then there were 12................are we sure the 153UH's are not having puppies out there in Schradeland?......?...looking forward to your pics DrossCustoms ....and a big welcome to the Schradeaholics.........Hoo Roo
 
Larry303 said:
....and then there were 12................are we sure the 153UH's are not having puppies out there in Schradeland?......?...looking forward to your pics DrossCustoms ....and a big welcome to the Schradeaholics.........Hoo Roo
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But don't worry guys !! Larry303.s 153 "Holy Grail" Walden Set set is bedded down safe and sound Down Under in another Schrade stable now, and in good company too.
 
A big Aussie welcome, Graham/Maroochyman....you have an extensive and enviable USA Schrade collection mate...I'm glad it went to another Schradeaholic....the one thing they love on this site is Schrade photos and more Schrade photos....show us some of your Downunder collection...all the best, Hoo Roo.
 
Thanks Larry for trusting me to be the custodian of some of your nice pieces. I just wish I had even 50% of your Schrade knowledge ....... One day soon I will get the urge to photograph some of the nicer pieces from our collection , at the moment they are socked away in a spare bedroom that my wife calls "Manland" ..the size of our collection is starting scare me....ha ha
 
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