I'm doing genealogy & I've found this picture knife from about 1901. My question is about "Abram, TX". One side has 3 pictures & I know they are my grandmother & great grandfather. Written on one side is "A present from A.J. Martin to J.J. Martin, Abram, TX. A.J is my great grandfather & J.J. is my great-great grandfather. JJ lived in Hopkins Co, TX (way up NE Texas), and AJ in 1901 was with wife & kids, age 26, working in the coal mines in Indiana territory, OK. So what is "Abrams, TX"? where the knife was made? ordered from? I've been trying to read all the comments about the Vignos picture knives, so what the heck does "Abram, TX" mean? I'm hoping someone with old knife history can help me.

Here is a link to info about Abram, Texas. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/onli ... cles/hra04
It is a small community in far South Texas, near Mission, Texas.

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Paladin

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My cousin in Memphis has possession of the knife; I only have a picture. He opened it up last night & said it is marked "N.C. Co Canton, Ohio".

Paladin, thanks for the info. I had already found this but my question still is, why put "Abram, Texas" on the knife? Abram was clearly way down in the south tip of Texas while the owners lived way up in the NE Texas. What is the connection to Abram, Texas? Could it have been somehow involved in the making of the knife? Is there some place to find that out?

Since those are custom scales on it the company that did it or arranged for it to have been done might have been there. It is also possible that your ancestors went there on vacation or something and this was a souvenir they had done.

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No factual evidence of anything to offer here, but at first glance it looks like the relative giving the knife may have lived in that small Texas when he had the knife made. Nothing more than an observation that could be wrong, but a wonderful piece of cutlery and family history you have there.

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Bob

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.

The Novelty Cut Co and others sold thru the mail and thru agents. They would put your message, your artwork, their stock pictures on a knife. One or one hundred. They advertised in magazines. There were pamphlets with order forms.
Canton Ohio had several companys that made these types of knives.
Your knife might have been to comemorate a trip to Abram Texas.
Hope this helps. PS Great family heirloom

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Bill

That is one cool knife! ::envy:: I dig it, what a piece of family history!

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Gino
AAPK MODERATOR

Thanks to all of you for sharing your thoughts. I may never know the story of "Abram, Texas" but at least I have some "facts" now. I wish I had listened to my mother when she told the family stories.....anyway, my cousins & I have a great piece of family history; something to pass down to our children. Thanks again.