How about a thread for all the old and obscure brands that don't really warrant a thread for themselves? One of my favorite sections of my Price Guide to Collector Knives is the 33 pages titled "Knife Brands of the World." This is a listing or about 1,500 different brands that a knife collector might come across. Maybe somebody has seen them all but I doubt if I have seen more than 5 percent, even in pictures. That's a good thing because it means that any day I might run across another new one.

Here is a Bower 32. This Solingen made knife was imported by F.A. Bower Import Co, which may have been located in Jacksonville, FL. Stewart and Ritchie think enough of the brand to give it a short writeup in the Standard Knife Collector's Guide. "The firm began importing their fine knives from Solingen, Germany very early in the 1900's and they seem to have measured up well against our own fine domestic brands." Other sources suggest that Bower started importing in the 1950s as part of the German post war reconstruction effort.

My knife shows heavy wear, but it is still serviceable. The pen blade is lazy but the clip snaps harder than most modern new production knives. The handles, which I believe are bone, are so pocketworn that the pins and shield stand proud. For this old, well-worn knife to still hold together suggests to me that it was of high quality manufacture.

Any other old and obscure brand knives out there?

I don't have any, but I like this idea, trail!

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-Blue

MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN

Thanks, Blue! That's probably my only one, but I'll bet we see some good stuff, especially if some of the old-timers start rooting around in their cigar boxes.

Trail,

Look here;

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=9855&start=0

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Read The Jigged Bone Handles
If It Has A Cutting Edge I Probably Collect It
AAPK Janitor #3607

Thanks Miller Bro's, I forgot all about that old thread. There are some real nice "one hit wonders" there. If an admin wants to consolidate this thread into that one, I wouldn't argue against it.

I kinda sorta think that this would be a very interesting "stand alone" thread rather than consolidating it. I think that I have some odd-balls but have to dig to see.

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"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"

God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.

Here's some that I already have pics of. To me they're obscure, but maybe not. Page 1

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"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"

God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.

Page 2.

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"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"

God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.

THE OSTDIEK COMPANY , MINNEPOLIS , MINN. (Probably made by W.R. CASE & SONS in the teens)

These are all cool! I always like shields that are different & the Bower name qualifies!

TJ,

That's the first Coca Cola Atlanta knife I have seen. My book says that most were made by Camillus in the 30s-40's. Very cool!

Robin,

What a nice hobo! I haven't ever heard of Ostdiek & wouldn't have associated that name with Case.

I learn so much for the forum!

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"Making miracles is hard work, most people give up before they happen." - Sheryl Crow

OK here is one for this thread.





I can find no mention of a knife by this company anywhere, in any book.
I looked for info on this for a couple weeks or more.
I emailed Mike Silvey, author and noted military knife expert, and a nice guy.
Mike had no info on them.
Parenthetically; Mike has a great book out that I highly recommend: "Pocket Knives of the United States Military".
It is one of my favorite knife books and has lots of great color pictures from very early Navy knives to modern knives.
My go to source of info on TL-29 knives.
Available from Knife World: http://www.knifeworld.com/pocknivofuns.html

I did a search on yellowpages.com for the company.
I found two listings, one in Texas & one in New York.

I was not able to get a hold of the Texas company but I managed to contact the company in New York,
Here are my notes from that call:

7/19/10-
Called phone number for A E Fuller Co. (found in Yellowpages.com).
The phone was answered by a lady who said A E Fuller Co. was her husband’s company but the company no longer exists.
I explained I was a knife historian, researching a knife with the AE Fuller name on it. She said they must have had the knife made for them.
She said they were manufactures representatives.

So after a week + of research I have a definite ‘maybe’ as to the origin of my mystery knife.
I must admit; it is more information than I have been able to get on some knives of unknown lineage.

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Dale
AAPK Administrator
orvet@comcast.net
Please visit my AAPK store: http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... e37-y.html

"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain

Thanks KG. When I received it, it was in pieces and Elvis put it back together for me. Did a great job. Thanks again Bob.

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"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"

God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.

I like to do research on the unknowns, but it can be frustrating when there is nothing to be found. I am glad you got even a little piece of information on this one!

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"Making miracles is hard work, most people give up before they happen." - Sheryl Crow

I like that slot knife. It does look like it was made by Case. Bernard Levine has images of a minty one on his website.

Sperry and Alexander was a New York based wholesale company. Charlie (Upnorth) told me thought Schrade made this jack.

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Mike Robuck

Man, that's an interesting blade. Is it a budding knife? I like it pretty good.

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"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"

God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.