Ulster Collecting

[mickeyevans]

Hi Dale. yeah, that's what I meant, to lazy to look it up
no shrinkage at all
just got a Aerial big equal end pen with almost the same handles, not sure where to post it and the Golden Rule Co I got also, my first one's by those old makers
did you see the Divine Ulster 2778 right above, I guess it is not very special.

[orvet]

I did see it Mick, I was concentrating on your question about the handles and forgot to comment on it the jack.
I love the pattern! Nice bone on it too.

The Dwight Divine organized Ulster as Dwight Divine & Sons in 1926. I believe the Dwight Divine & Sons stamp was used until 1941. So your knife was made between 1926 & 1941.

Ulster started as Ulster Knife Works in 1870 in Naugatuck, CT as a cooperative of cutlers, mostly trained in Sheffield. It moved to Ellenville in 1871. It was nearly bankrupt by 1875 and was on very shaky financial footing when Dwight Divine took over the responsibility of the company in 1878. Dwight Divine really made Ulster the cutlery powerhouse that it was. He fixed the financial mess it was in, made it a success and one of the most popular knife brands in the country.

Dwight Divine died in 1932, (an auto accident IIRC), and his sons ran the company until 1941 when they sold it to Albert Baer, et al.

[mickeyevans]

Thanks Dale, did Ulster put that Dwight Divine and Sons tang stamp on only certain knives? is it a common Ulster stamp? I was hoping it indicated a higher quality Ulster made knife
that Pyroxylin handled knife is definitely Ulster made, does the blade loss really hurt it's value. I saw exactly same knife with Ulster tang stamp and solid color handle go for twice the money I paid for mine but they have full blades, mine may have 15% loss. mine has the HSB tang stamp and it is tight and stamps with half stops, any idea on age?

[orvet]

I am not 100% sure if the Dwight Divine and Sons tang stamp is an indicated a higher quality knife, but that seems to be the case from the examples I have seen with that tang stamp.

Blade loss always hurts the value of a knife unless it is a super rare knife, which unfortunately that knife is not.

I use the NKCA grading standards that I got from their website.
They are as follows:

Mint - A knife that is absolutely original as it came from the manufacturer. Never used, carried, sharpened, nor heavily cleaned. An unblemished knife.

Near Mint - A new-condition knife that may show very slight signs of carry or shop wear. Blades are not worn and snap perfectly. Handles show no cracks. Most of original finish is obvious.

Excellent - A knife that shows no more than 10 percent blade wear. Handles are sound with no cracks. Blades snap well. Some discoloration of blades or handles is acceptable. May have been heavily cleaned.

Very Good - A knife with up to 25 percent blade wear, slight cracks in handles. No blades nor other parts replaced or repaired. Stamping clearly visible to the naked eye.

Fair - A knife with up to 50 percent blade wear, cracks, or chips in handles. Blades "lazy" (lacking snap) and may have been repaired. Stamping faint but readable with magnifying glass.

Poor - Blades very worn or may have been replaced with ones of same type. Handles bad or missing. Reading of stamping nearly impossible. A knife valued for its parts.

By this grading system your knife would drop from Excellent down to Very Good considering blade loss only.

I don’t know when that knife was made, but I would think in the 1930, maybe the 1920s.

Hope this helps.

[mickeyevans]

yes it did Dale, thanks
so much to learn from the masters, this is a treasure trove of knowledge

[mickeyevans]

Two Kingstons
When Albert Baer was putting together Imperial Schrade the Kingston knife Co was what he called it for a few years
He already had Ulster and bought out the Miranda brothers Imperial, then got Schrade of walden and had the largest knife manufacturing company in the country or world
Kingston only lasted as a company for about 2 years, then became a model of Imperial Schrade in Ellenville
it was above Imperial but below Schrade in price and quality
not sure what these are and my history is from memory so feel free to school me
there is a Ulster connection and who knows where these were manufactured, Walden or Ellenville, were they from the short lived Kingston company or Imperial Schrade conglomerate ??

[royal0014]

Just culled this from the 'bay, my first Ulster

Seller listed it as stag, 3¾" closed, stamped 114, Ulster, USA.
Obviously not stag...

Sellers Pics:

[/color]

[galvanic1882]

Here is one that a friend bought at the Easton Show. It is a beautiful piece and a rare handle shape!!!

[peanut740]

That's a mighty fine knife.

[ozzie marie]

Just added this Ulster Advertiser

Keith

[Miller Bro's]

Very nice Keith!

Are the handles anodized Aluminum?

[galvanic1882]

Wow that's NICE!!!!

[ozzie marie]

Yes MB, the handles are anodized aluminum.

Thanks for the kind comments gents

[AREMINGTONSEDGE]

That is a very cool knife! I love the color and the advertising on the handles!

[galvanic1882]

Here is my latest Ulster!! I was lucky to get this one.

[stockman]

Really nice Barlow I like the joint construction. Nice find, and I would think rare.

Harold

[AREMINGTONSEDGE]

That my friend is a great find. That is a rare looking Barlow and one I would be proud to own as I'm sure you are! Beautiful all around!

[Shearer]

Here is my latest Ulster!! I was lucky to get this one.

Nice looking Ulster Barlow.
Lucky find

Grant

[dcgm4]

Beautiful, galvanic1882!

[peanut740]

Michael

[wlf]

That's a terrific knife Mike. Love the bolsters and the etch.I think that's an OLD Ulster pattern.

[philco]

I'm impressed!

[galvanic1882]

Thanks everyone for the comments on the knife. I never saw this etch before and the star has DEVINE marked around it, pretty cool!!

[RobesonsRme.com]

Mike, I have never seen those "ULSTER" stamped and stepped bolsters before.

And, it has "Clean & Square" joints, indicative of age and, I suspect, some old English cutlers at work in Walden, NY when it was made.

What a marvelous knife. Boy Howdy!

What is the length on your friend's wood handled jack?

Charlie Noyes

[galvanic1882]

Thanks Charlie, it's the first time I have seen an Ulster like this also and am really lucky to have found it. I have attached a picture of one that sold the same time as the Ulster that I missed but was happy to find out the upnorth Charlie of the Barlow fame was able to get it.

As far as the wood handled knife it's a folding hunter and I believe 4 3/8" closed. The knife and it's owner has since moved to Arizona so I don't have it to measure for sure.