Which pattern for 1880s?

[pertinux]

To answer that, we need to know something about your 1880s guy. Is he a ranch boss? Cowboy? Dock worker? Clerk? Minister?

-- Mark

That was my thought as well-- a historical era alone is a rather broad parameter.

~ P.

 

[jackknife]

That was my thought as well-- a historical era alone is a rather broad parameter.

~ P.

If Little Lord Fauntleroy carried a pocket knife, it would have been a pearl handled lobster of some Sheffield make. Dainty.

 

[Brian.Evans]

Well, he's definitely not his Lordship. Haha.

I was thinking more of a working man. Someone who worked with his hands, possibly in a grain elevator........

 

[Jack Black]

Hey, it's me as a boy!

 

[lambertiana]

And those were just from two sources - Maher & Grosh and Hibbard, Spencer, & Bartlett. Imagine what else you could find from the myriad of other brands at the time.

For those I have the original pages. The Maher & Grosh are 1887/1888, and the HSB pages are from the 1886 catalog. I also have electronic versions on CD for an 1884 HSB catalog, and a 1902 catalog from another hardware wholesaler. The 1902 catalog is mostly New York Knife Company with a few pages of Wostenholm.

For the 1880s catalogs that I have, it is apparent that spear master blades are the rule. Most patterns were available in ebony and cocobolo (cocoa in the HSB catalog), with a few pearl and bone. Later catalogs, like my 1902 catalog, show a gradual shift toward bone handles and clip master blades. It is interesting to note that the NYKC offerings in the 1902 catalog are primarily bone or cocobolo, with not many available in ebony. HSB has a very slight price increase for ebony, but NYKC has ebony and cocobolo at the same price. Of course, those are the wholesale prices, I don't know about retail.

Another trend is the wood/bolster/liner combination. Often, especially with HSB, there is not much differentiation. But in other catalogs, and in a few cases with HSB, if there is a premium version with nickel silver bolsters (especially fancy bolsters) and brass liners, ebony is more common. And if there is a budget line with iron bolsters and liners, cocobolo is more common.

The Wostenholm patterns in my 1902 catalog show one difference - most of the wood handles are cocobolo, and for the fancier handles they are mostly buffalo, not ebony.

I have a couple of those knives from the catalog pages. I have a dogleg HSB OVB in ebony, and a teardrop Ulster in cocobolo.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Hey, it's me as a boy!

I wasn't going to say it..... But I thought about it.

 

[Jack Black]

I wasn't going to say it..... But I thought about it.

Jack

 

[bakerg2g]

Here's one I've got from c.1825 Swayback Jack 4-3/4 closed. It's a big one, but it's still
alive and kickin...lol.

Jason

 

[Will Power]

From the 1880s:

Many, many thanks for including these impressive catalogue pages a goldmine for the imagination :thumbup:

Find this page particularly inspiring as Bareheads are a real enthusiasm of mine.

Of course, it depends on the walk of life a person had-this would dictate an 1880s pattern. Sedentary types would have sported slimmer knives, with say very small tipped bolsters, outdoorsmen something more burly. All would be decent knives though!

Regards, Will

 

[Gevonovich]

Here is the Maher & Grosh 'Indian Hunter' shown in Lambertiana's Catalog pages

 

[Woodrow F Call]

Wow, bakerg2g, that's pretty cool.

 

[Zemapeli]

You should do a fixed blade with a jackknife in the handle.

 

[Brian.Evans]

Wonderful gentlemen. Just great stuff.

I don't want to say too much, because I may not get it done for a long while, but I'm thinking wrought iron bolsters, nickel silver liners, and heart pine covers. A nice historical materials piece.

 

[Mike Robuck]

Nice one Jason.

Levine's says this "celebrated" stamp was used from the 1860s to the 1890s:

Stamp on the blade:

Conn. Cutlery was in business from 1867 to 1883. Ken Erickson took these photos of a stabber jack and I hope he doesn't mind me posting them:

 

[tomsch]

Such a great range of amazing knives! The spear blades with a well cut swedge is such an amazing traditional design. Would be nice to see more of them in knives produced today.

 

[1066vik]

I really like the looks of the "carpenters knife" and the "cattle knife" (written on the blade in both cases)

 

[iSaur]

That was my thought as well-- a historical era alone is a rather broad parameter.

~ P.

I'm going to say picture knife (see first page of Lambertiana's post). "Pictures of actresses in the rivet. Some of them very rich." I wonder what "rich" implied in the 1880's? Well worth the 50 cents for the sample by mail, to remove any ambiguity.

 

[thepatriotsoutherner]

mabey some sort of trapper pocket knife or mabey a opinel

 

[Raymond1000]

If Little Lord Fauntleroy carried a pocket knife, it would have been a pearl handled lobster of some Sheffield make. Dainty.

IIRC, young Cedric grew up in poverty in New York City. He probably carried a cheap Barlow or jackknife.

Then he became heir to a noble title and vast wealth. Once Cedric was wearing black velvet and lace, he would have traded his Barlow for some pearl handled Sheffield special.

I wonder if he suffered from slipjoint shock?

 

[puukkoman]

Wow... now THIS is right up my alley. Queen, GEC, are you listening???