Empire Knife Company

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nifnutt
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Empire Display Knife

Post by nifnutt »

I hope you members don't mind my "showin-off" per say with my treasures but here are pictures of a large Empire display knife.

Most of these treasures I will be showing you were bought years ago as I have been buying knife memorabilia for almost forty years. Many the night I slept in my car or the back of my pickup truck so I would have enough gas money to get home when on a buying trip to the Northeast.

One little old lady in a Walden, New York antinqe shop would save me pocket knives as she knew I was bringing these pottery jugs and crocks with blue writing and designs on them. $8.00 per piece for trade on knives. Oh, the good old days as a recently laid off engineer, hustling to make a living in knives and keeping a few along the way.

OK. Dry your eyes and look at the pictures below.

Length closed about thirty inches.
Master blade length twenty inches.
Construction is wood.
Where did I get it? Don't remember, but probably in Winstead, CT in an antique shop or esate sale.

Til later,

nifnutt
Rhett Stidham

Image

Image
Rhett Stidham
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nifnutt
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Empire Display Knife

Post by nifnutt »

If any of you old timers know the history of this knife I would appreciate knowing. An old picture maybe?

Regards,

nifnutt
Rhett Stidham
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lt632ret
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Post by lt632ret »

Thanks Rhett it is a dandy an I love that stuff I know a few people you knew up here. I was bit tied up giving bambi a new home my freezer It is great to see this stuff i bet you have some real great stuff. LT
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upnorth
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Big Empire

Post by upnorth »

Great (big) knife, Rhett! Thanks for showing us!!
Going to Oregon in April??
Charlie C
nifnutt
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Empire

Post by nifnutt »

Charlie,

Yes, we hope to be in Eugene in April. Have not missed one in over twenty years.

The best antique knife show in the world. The displays alone make it worth going there.

Regards,

nifnutt
Rhett Stidham
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orvet
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Post by orvet »

Now if we could just get LT talked into coming out here for the April show........ :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

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upnorth
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Hear, hear! (Here, here?)

Post by upnorth »

Yes, LT, come to Oregon!!
You'll enjoy yourself!!
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OKCA Show

Post by Mossdancer »

Hey; If we could get him and two more we could have a poker game on Saturday night. Lobo, 9-ball you up to it.
wb
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El Lobo
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Post by El Lobo »

Hi Ho.....

I'd love to play at a table with all of you professional "Truth Stretchers"...LOL. :mrgreen:

I've seen LT's derringer, so I'm bringin' the "Flat Top Blackhawk"...just to keep things level like, you know? ::nod::

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9ball
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Empire & Poker

Post by 9ball »

Hello Folks :D ,

I am going to attempt to catch up on a few things I have missed around here now that I have some time.

These are pages from an old hardware store catalog from around 1926-27 showing their line of Empire knives.
I have/had the one with the red X. Tang stamp on all three blades is just:

EMPIRE
WINSTEAD
CT

in large caps.

If you need a close up of one of the patterns, just let me know.

Sorry I missed the card game.......maybe next time.

9ball :)
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Good Hand.jpg
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El Lobo
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Post by El Lobo »

Hey 9ball...

Where have you been..... out hunting Sandbar Stag??? Whoooops, wrong thread. Sorry. ::nod:: :oops: Cool catalog.

LT, did you make any Bam!! bi style jerky? I hear it goes good with the Drown Royal.

Bill

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Mossdancer.....you OK up there?
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Post by 9ball »

Where have you been..... out hunting Sandbar Stag???
I will get to that later :lol:
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Post by jonet143 »

good to hear from you 9ball. nice cat pages.
johnnie f 1949

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upnorth
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by upnorth »

It's been a while since we had an Empire knife up, so I thought I'd revive this old thread. Now stay on track guys :? !!
Just got this one in the mail. It's a bit used, but still has the etch from an electrical contracting firm. This one is likely from the WWI era.
You all most likely have owned an Empire knife, whether you knew it or not, as they made knives for several other firms under different stampings.
Attachments
EmpElecEtched.jpg
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


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Gunsmoke47
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by Gunsmoke47 »

I like that one a lot Charlie! ::tu::
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by ea42 »

Nice one Charlie, nice to go through the thread again as well ::tu::

Eric
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upnorth
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by upnorth »

A good friend of mine in Rhode Island hooked me up with this rare Fisherman's lockback. Built on the Arkansas Hunter pattern, it has stainless steel, and a "scaler" back. Great shape for 80-90 years old!
Attachments
EmpireFLB.jpg
EmpireFLBopen.jpg
EmpireFLBtang.jpg
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Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


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jonet143
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by jonet143 »

very cool charlie. i guess empire was one of the pioneers with stainless for pocket knives.
johnnie f 1949

on the cutting edge is sometimes not the place to be.
please support our troops - past and present
if not a member...join the NKCA! they're on our side.
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upnorth
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by upnorth »

jonet143 wrote:very cool charlie. i guess empire was one of the pioneers with stainless for pocket knives.
They were a leading company in their heyday, especially before the Alvords sold out in 1929-1930. Stainless for a fishing knife seems like a no-brainer today!
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


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upnorth
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by upnorth »

Jack knife, and bartender's knife :)
Attachments
EmpireEtchedJack.jpg
EmpireCork.jpg
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


Johnnie Fain would have approved!
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upnorth
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by upnorth »

Here are some "scouts", regular, and junior. The patina is all intact; this is my favorite condition for old knives. Full snappy blades, graceful age, lovely old bone.
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EmpireScouts.jpg
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


Johnnie Fain would have approved!
1949 - 2009
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upnorth
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by upnorth »

One more knife!
This one is proof that our grandfathers weren't lying!
They did walk 10 miles to school! And, it WAS uphill both ways!
And you had to be tough before you were allowed to have a grown-up Jackknife!!
This moderate size knife, 3 3/4", can only be opened by a real man; no sissies here :shock: ! A true 9.9 on the opening scale!
And the snap is a 7.8 on the Richter!!!! In my 63 year dotage, it was either tear my nail off, or use a knife opener! And THAT'S THE PEN BLADE!!!! I KID YOU NOT!!!! The main is just off the planet :shock: :shock: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: !!!
The half stops are equally impressive on both blades. I'd like to meet the guy who used it for so long; but in the open daylight, with lots of friends around!!
Around 100 years old, and still going strong, with style. . . . meet the EMPIRE!!
Attachments
EmpireSwellCenterEbony.jpg
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


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orvet
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by orvet »

AWESOME!!!!! ::tu:: ::tu::
If you find another........................keep me in mind. :mrgreen:

Actually the first knife on my list of Must Have Empires is a TL-29.

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knife7knut
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by knife7knut »

Here are a couple that I own:The first is a two blade pen with pearl scales,milled liners,and sterling silver bolsters.It was apparently a salesman's sample as there is a number inked on the reverse of one of the blades.It is in it's original pouch(I believe)even though the pouch shows considerable aging the knife is as new.

The second is a 2 blade wharncliffe pattern in it's original pouch with ebony scales and is in excellent condition.I know I have a couple more Empires around but can't locate them at the moment.They aren't anything special;just old.
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upnorth
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Re: Empire Knife Company

Post by upnorth »

A couple of beauties, K7K!! Those fancy bolsters are rare!!
Utopia!! A chicken in every pot!! And a Barlow in every pocket!!!


Johnnie Fain would have approved!
1949 - 2009
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