Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. 1886-1963

[Miller Bro's]

Thanks guys!

[DR_MAGOO]

Good old knives being displayed

[cattaraugus57]

Magoo, cool Catt with the Purse!
I have only one of those...

[DR_MAGOO]

Thanks,
Picked that one up when I was on a trip. Antique shop in Homestead, FL before Andrew blew thru.

[cattaraugus57]

[PA Knives]

I Love researching old Cutlery Company's. Here as a great story I found in a newspaper.

ENJOY

The Olean Herald August 12, 1931

Little Valley’s Most Prominent Citizen 65

Red Letter Day Also marks Tint Champlin’s 50th Anniversary With Cattaraugus Cutlery Company

LITTLE VALLEY, Aug., 11, was a red letter day in the life of this community’s most prominent citizen – Tinto Champlin, widely known manufacturer, inventor business man and club man.

Tint Champlin was born on a farm in the town of Napoli, Aug 11, 1866, the son of John Brown Francis Champlin, founder of the Cattaraugus Cutlery Company. A few years later the family moved to Little Valley, where as a boy, Tinto received his early education in what this village then offered in the way of public Education, he then entered Byrant and Stratton’s Business College in Buffalo, where he took a general business course.

Founded Business

In 1878, J.B.F. Champlin sr., founded a cutlery jobbing business in Little Valley. Two years later an office building which is now known as the Opera House Block was erected and in 1881, Tint, at the age of 15, was taken into the business by his father, as a partner, the firm being known as J.B.F. Champlin & Son.

The Cattaraugus Cutlery Company was Incorporated for $25,000 in 1877, at which time Factory No. 1 was built. In 1887, the capitalization was raised to $100,000. Factory No. 2 was erected in 1906, when the business rapidly increased.

In 1907, just when his visions of a large and flourishing industry began to fully materialize, J>B> F> Champlin’s untimely and widely mourned death occurred at the early age of 61, leaving Tint to carry on what he had so successfully established.

Business steadily increased with the Cattaraugus Cutlery Company and in 1914, additions were made in Factory No. 2. In 1918 the company capitalized for $1,000,000 and two years ago a more modern and up-to-date office building was erected at the factory site on Sixth Street. The Cattaraugus Cutlery Company has now become one of the largest exclusive cutlery plants in America. Starting as a local concern covering New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, their business has branched out to such and extent that their products are now sold in every state of the Union as well as Canada, Philippines, Taiwan and Mexico.

Company Veterans

For over 20 years, Tint Champlin has been the guiding hand of this flourishing business and closely associated with him have been Elmer E. Kelly, who entered the business in 1866, Claude L. Wilson who has been a leading salesman for the company for over 10 years, and William C. Bushnell, plant superintendent, who is another veteran of 40 years service.

All of these men, together with a dozen other veteran employees, have contributed materially with ideas and inventions, to the steady growth and success of the local cutlery company. Tint Champlin has several patents in his own right and that of company in the Washington, D.C. patent office.

Two years ago Tint Champlin relinquished active control of the company placing his oldest son, J.B.F. Champlin Jr, who entered in the business in 1911, as president and his youngest son Philip T. Champlin, who became associated with the company in 1919, vice president and treasurer. Mr. Champlin remains as chairman of the board of directors. His daughter, Mrs. Hazel T. Andrews, widow of the late James A. Andrews also is now associated with the company taking her husband’s place in an official capacity.

[cattaraugus57]

WOW!,great info there.thanks much for posting it.

[Jacknifeben]

PA, thanks for that article from the paper. Is it o.k. if I copy that? I have been ask to show my knife collection at a local historical meeting and since most of my collection is Cattaraugus and Jack Knife Ben I have been trying to get some articles about both brands to make them realize how much knives are a part of American history.

[DR_MAGOO]

Thanks for the great historical information.

[PA Knives]

I am glad at least a few of you enjoy the info. feel free to use it in any positive manner. I do it to help educate collectors and of course it thrills the heck out of me as well.

[galvanic1882]

I just got back from another trip to Western NY and picked up some more Cattaraugus items. I will be showing them later this week but her is a brief list.

1) Auction Catalog for the liquidating of the factory
2) 1948 Christmas Dinner menu
3) The program in 1944 where the Army-Navy E award was given to the company for their war effort.
4) A program for a concert at the old JBF Champlin Opera House and a small recital program also.
5) 2 unused compasses that went into the folding hunter and scout knives.
6) 5 very small dice that went into some of the handles on the folding hunters!!! These babys are SMALL!!!

I will get the pics loaded like I said later this week.

Mike

[cattaraugus57]

Interesting...be great to see

[galvanic1882]

Here are the pics I promised of the Cattaraugus items. Check out the menu both sides it shows the menu for the 1899 dinner!!!!

[DR_MAGOO]

I'm grateful for the history that you are sharing.
Thanks

[cattaraugus57]

Mike, Thank you for posting these great Cattaraugus paper collectables!
Knives can last hundreds of years but historic papers such as these unless stored correctly do not last.
very nice to see.

[Miller Bro's]

Here is a stack of Catt. time cards.

Circa 1921, they worked for about .30 an hour

[cattaraugus57]

.30 an hour for factory work..amassing..

galvanic,is that menu real large like real classy resturants used to have?

[galvanic1882]

The menu is 5 1/2" x 8" as is the Army-Navy award.

[knifegirl888]

Very cool stuff!

[galvanic1882]

Latest Cattaraugus pickup, Nice security badge.

[Jacknifeben]

That would look good in one of my cases full of Cattaraugus knives.

[galvanic1882]

No I think your knives would look better with my Cat stuff!!! LOL

[MikeB]

Here are the only two I have, hope they suit the time frame






Mike

[bigdaddys8ball]

thats interesting stuff thanks for sharing

[bigdaddys8ball]

Here are the only two I have, hope they suit the time frame






Mike

those are two good looking knives the second one i have one like it on yours is the numbers on the back slanted or are the stright across cause mine are slanted yours is the only one ive seen like mine so i was woundering if mine was just a slip up at the factory or not