Old and Obscure Brands

[trail]

My Official Price Guide to Collector Knives, Fourteenth Edition list R.J. Richter as "Nazi Penknives, Switchblades, 1963-1978. Bernard Levine has an informative post at his site from a few years back, stating that R.J. Richter was a U.S. importer of German and Scandinavian knives, whose claim to 'fame" was to be the first dealer Mr. Levine knew of to sell "fantasy" Nazi penknives. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... %28Pics%29 An interesting post, Bernard Levine at his best and most generous, in my opinion. A great antidote to the lurid stories like the one on knifeforums about the blades signed by Adolf Hitler for presentation to top Nazi brass, found in a factory after the war and made up into 250 exclusive knives for eager and gullible collectors to buy. My R.J. Richter is a completely innocuous but well-made German pen knife.

[FRJ]

Very smart looking knife, trail.

[trail]

Thanks FRJ, it got some compliments at work today too.

Time has come to update the list, which has now reached 150 brands:

Bower
United Cutlery
Sorge
Coca-Cola
W. Bingham
Kamp Cutlery
Valley Forge
Ostdiek
A.E. Fuller
S.& A.
Hollinger
F.GG & Sawyer
Case
Edward K.Tryon
M.Klaas
Samuel Robinson
E.M.Dickinson
Wm.Congreve
Tonerini Scarperia
Vom Cleff
Jack Knife Ben
K.& B. Cutlery
Nippel
R.Bunting & Sons
Silver Steel
W&G Vogel
A*1 Tyler Celebrated Cutlery
G&J Allen Superior Cutlery
Lockwood Brothers
Quaker Cutlery
Mcknight Cutlery
North American Cutlery
Fidelity Knife Co
HOLMAC
SCHMIDT & ZIGLER
Utica Kutmaster
Sterling L.G.H
Alpha
Roberts Brothers
A.J. Jordan
American Knife Co.
Peters Bros Cut Co.
Adams & Bro
Bergman & Scuddig
Dame Smith & Hall
Duane Cutlery
F.D. Bast
Harvey Bros
J. Dunlap
Prolific H.B & Son
Tyler's Celebrated Cutlery
Adams & Sons
Stevenson
Clark Bros
Gales & Co
Moore - Handley
Lenox Cutlery
Majestic Cutlery Co.
A.W. Flint
Abercrombie & Fitch
Ameike
Argyle Cutlery Co.
Ascend W.T. Stanforth
American Shear & Knife Co.
R. Bunting & Son
Challenge
Constant
Cook Bros.
Corliss
Crucible Knife Co.
Duane Cutlery
Electric Cutlery
E. Renaud
F. Herder & Son
Fletcher Hardware
Richards Bros. & Sons
Barber Bros.
Magnetic Cutlery Co.
Vollmer
M.C.Co. Meriden
Holub
Fairplay Brothers
Wade & Butcher
Joseph Gray & Son
Excelsior Knife Company
Corning Knife Company
Seneca Cutlery
A. Reinig
J. Pritzlaff
Hartford Cutlery
G. Gregory
Haynes Stellite
Columbia
Lamplough Cutlery
Golden Rule Cutlery
Autopoint
King's Kwality
GML
C.F. Kayser
Ernst Brückmann
Fayetteville Knife Co.
Automatic knife Company
Charles Bradshaw
Norfolk Knife Co
Ideal Cutlery Co
Aquila
Chris Wolf
Lion Cutlery
Tioga Cutlery
Weske
Hargreaves & Co.
Bigelow & Dowse
Great Eastern
Shumate Knife Co.
Cornwall Knife Co.
Imperial
Catskill Knife Co.
Wabash Cutlery Co.
A.W. Flint & Co.
Alfred & Son Celebrated Cutlery
Burkinshaw
Crucible Knife Co.
Elgin American Mfg. Co.
Fletcher Hardware Co.
George Woodhead
H.W.Mason & Co.
G.H. Exhibition
Herm. Konejung
Holly Mfg Co.
Penn Cutlery Co.
Russell
Ahapen Faacidbr (Cyrilic)
Samuel Robinson
Henderson & Co.
Thomson
U.K.& R. Co.
W.G.C.
Warris
Waterville Cutlery
Wm. Rodgers
Jones & Son
Knickerbocker Cutlery
Joseph Barnard & Sons
N.& Co.
Lawton Cutlery
H.& B. Mfg. Co.
Rango Cutlery Co.
Samco
Cussins & Fearn
R.J. Richter

[philco]

The extent of that list says something to me about what a tough and competetive business the cutlery industry is and has been.

Phil

[knives-are-quiet]

Add another to the list.
"Underhill & Co"

Got this knife a long time ago and posted it on every knife forum I could.
Never could get a definitive answer from anyone about the history of this company.
When the experts who responded couldn't figure the knife out, They always used the word "Pakistan"......
I did see one time a cutlery set on eBay that was being sold in England that had the same Underhill & Co. Sheffield lettering.

J W

[orvet]

Here is the list more or less in alphabetical order –

A*1 Tyler Celebrated Cutlery
A. Reinig
A.E. Fuller
A.J. Jordan
A.W. Flint
A.W. Flint & Co.
Abercrombie & Fitch
Adams & Bro
Adams & Sons
Ahapen Faacidbr (Cyrilic)
Alfred & Son Celebrated Cutlery
Alpha
Ameike
American Knife Co.
American Shear & Knife Co.
Aquila
Argyle Cutlery Co.
Ascend W.T. Stanforth
Automatic knife Company
Autopoint
Barber Bros.
Bergman & Scuddig
Bigelow & Dowse
Bower
Burkinshaw
C.F. Kayser
Case
Catskill Knife Co.
Challenge
Charles Bradshaw
Chris Wolf
Clark Bros
Coca-Cola
Columbia
Constant
Cook Bros.
Corliss
Corning Knife Company
Cornwall Knife Co.
Crucible Knife Co.
Crucible Knife Co.
Cussins & Fearn
Dame Smith & Hall
Duane Cutlery
Duane Cutlery
E. Renaud
E.M.Dickinson
Edward K.Tryon
Electric Cutlery
Elgin American Mfg. Co.
Ernst Brückmann
Excelsior Knife Company
F. Herder & Son
F.D. Bast
F.GG & Sawyer
Fairplay Brothers
Fayetteville Knife Co.
Fidelity Knife Co
Fletcher Hardware
Fletcher Hardware Co.
G&J Allen Superior Cutlery
G. Gregory
G.H. Exhibition
Gales & Co
George Woodhead
GML
Golden Rule Cutlery
Great Eastern
H.& B. Mfg. Co.
H.W.Mason & Co.
Hargreaves & Co.
Hartford Cutlery
Harvey Bros
Haynes Stellite
Henderson & Co.
Herm. Konejung
Hollinger
Holly Mfg Co.
HOLMAC
Holub
Ideal Cutlery Co
Imperial
J. Dunlap
J. Pritzlaff
Jack Knife Ben
Jones & Son
Joseph Barnard & Sons
Joseph Gray & Son
K.& B. Cutlery
Kamp Cutlery
King's Kwality
Knickerbocker Cutlery
Lamplough Cutlery
Lawton Cutlery
Lenox Cutlery
Lion Cutlery
Lockwood Brothers
M.C.Co. Meriden
M.Klaas
Magnetic Cutlery Co.
Majestic Cutlery Co.
Mcknight Cutlery
Moore - Handley
N.& Co.
Nippel
Norfolk Knife Co
North American Cutlery
Ostdiek
Penn Cutlery Co.
Peters Bros Cut Co.
Prolific H.B & Son
Quaker Cutlery
R. Bunting & Son
R.Bunting & Sons
R.J. Richter
Rango Cutlery Co.
Richards Bros. & Sons
Roberts Brothers
Russell
S.& A.
Samco
Samuel Robinson
Samuel Robinson
SCHMIDT & ZIGLER
Seneca Cutlery
Shumate Knife Co.
Silver Steel
Sorge
Sterling L.G.H
Stevenson
Thomson
Tioga Cutlery
Tonerini Scarperia
Tyler's Celebrated Cutlery
U.K.& R. Co.
United Cutlery
Utica Kutmaster
Valley Forge
Vollmer
Vom Cleff
W&G Vogel
W. Bingham
W.G.C.
Wabash Cutlery Co.
Wade & Butcher
Warris
Waterville Cutlery
Weske
Wm. Rodgers
Wm.Congreve

[Iron Hoarder]

The most recent book from G. Tweedale lists 900 Sheffield Cutlers. He was going to do 1000 but didn't have the time. Now while they were not all in business at the same that is still only a fraction of the total just for Sheffield. That doesn't even touch on London and other cities that had a few. I have numerous knives that aren't listed anywhere aside from old city directories which a few of the collectors have over here. It's amazing how many cutlers there there were. The list of modern cutlers is probably quite a long one as well.

[ratlesnake75]

Does anyone know recognize this stamping? Has a picture of man with wild hair, carrying a big sword? Thx Mark

[Miller Bro's]

Does anyone know recognize this stamping?

Manhattan Cut. Co. An import brand by Boker.

[ratlesnake75]

THANKS!! I thought it was a Manhattan Also, and needed a second opinion. I really appreciate you taking your time to let me know--I found it amongst some junk knives in a box. Many thanks--Mark

[9ball]

trail Sezs:

My Official Price Guide to Collector Knives, Fourteenth Edition list R.J. Richter as "Nazi Penknives, Switchblades, 1963-1978. Bernard Levine has an informative post at his site from a few years back, stating that R.J. Richter was a U.S. importer of German and Scandinavian knives, whose claim to 'fame" was to be the first dealer Mr. Levine knew of to sell "fantasy" Nazi penknives.

Frank Buster carried some of those in the early days and did admit that they were a "warehouse find" as parts and he had them put together. He claimed they were legit parts also.
Of course he ain't above ground no more, but if IIRC the knives are pictured in the Fight'n Rooster catalog Parker published about 10-15 years ago.
You know.......the one that falls apart.

Headed outside,
9ball

[glennbad]

Here's one from J.M. Schmid & Son, Prov. R.I., Steel liners and bolsters, about 2 1/2" closed



I had never heard of them before, maybe some others have. I did find them in Goins.

I ended up making a single blade knife out of it. I know, that might be sacrilege to some, but it rides nice in the pocket, and the steel is sharp as a scalpel.

Glenn

[Desktop]

Here is another rare GML knife (auto) along with other DDR brands.

Do you know if the plant is still active?

No, like many companies of the GDR they went out of business after the reunion.

I have just started to look a bit closer into this company,
so here is what I got so far:

GML was founded as a cooperative of cutlers from Nixdorf
(now Mikulasovice/Czech Republic) who immigrated to the GDR after WW II.
The cooperative was ‘nationalized’ to a VEB ( publicly owned company) in circa 1956.
Beside the GML brand, they also produced knives under the brand name ‘FORON’
and had also some cooperations with Puma and Henckels.
After the reunion, it gets somehow obscure.
AFAIK, they were sold to a Siegfried Schumacher GmbH of Gummersbach
who changed the brand name to ‘Adler Messer’ (eagle knives)
and evacuates the production back to Mikulasovice.
A history of GML can be found here:

http://www.leegebruch-geschichte.de/tex ... p?id=67408

and here’s a large thread about knives from the former GDR:

http://www.messerforum.net/showthread.php?t=12393

Both unfortunately in German, but at least a lot of pictures to look at.

[knives-are-quiet]

Here's one from J.M. Schmid & Son, Prov. R.I., Steel liners and bolsters, about 2 1/2" closed



I had never heard of them before, maybe some others have. I did find them in Goins.

I ended up making a single blade knife out of it. I know, that might be sacrilege to some, but it rides nice in the pocket, and the steel is sharp as a scalpel.

Glenn

Nothin' sacrilege about fixing up a knife for your own personal needs.
Heck , I've changed brand new knives to suit my needs.

Plus you will probably be dead and gone before you find a replacment blade for an obscure knife like this one.

Let's see a picture after you 86ed the broken blade.

J W

[RobesonsRme.com]

You can add Wimberly & Thomas Hardware, Birmingham, AL to that list. I cannot provide a photo, but I have seen one knife marked simply "Wimberly & Thomas".

They were an old hardware wholesaler here in town. I have a nice molded celluloid handled straight razor in an original box, but acquired separately.

Also, I've often wondered if "J.M.Schmid" was any relation to "Julius Schmid". If you don't recognize that name, you most likely did not come of age during the 50's and 60's.

Charlie Noyes

[trail]

Charlie, can you post a picture of the straight razor? We're ecumenical, we already have a few fixed blades in this thread and in my opinion, a straight razor would be welcome, especially with that rare a tang stamp.

I had to look up Julius Schmid since my cat hunting days were the '70s but I surely hope there's no connection. Knives seem a primitive and painful method of contraception.

[paulsvintage]

have one for this thread, Canastota knife co. NY. ( 1875 - 1895 ).

[RobesonsRme.com]

Paul;
That Canastota is a beautiful knife.

Trail;
I'll scan some pics of the Wimberly & Thomas razor as soon as I can.

Charlie Noyes

[paulsvintage]

Paul;
That Canastota is a beautiful knife.

Trail;
I'll scan some pics of the Wimberly & Thomas razor as soon as I can and post them to my original post.

Charlie Noyes

Thanks Charlie..... just picked it up a few days ago

[RobesonsRme.com]

Trail asked that I post a photo of the Wimberly & Thomas razor I referenced in an earlier post.

Below are photos of the razor and a Wimberly & Thomas box. I bought them separately. I've also shown a detail of the tang stamping and a detail of the Wimberly & Thomas logo etched on the face of the blade .

The photos will enlarge twice with left clicks.

Wimberly & Thomas were in business in Birmingham, Alabama from 1900 until 1944. They used the ALABAMA logo on all types of cutlery and hardware items.

They did sell knives with their name on the tang. They are very rare. I've only seen one, in the hands of a local collector. It was a bone handled English jack with one long spear blade.

Charlie Noyes

[trail]

Thank you Charlie, that's a fine razor. I wonder if it was made out of local Birmingham steel. One of my professors in college told us he worked his way through college at the Birmingham Steel plant, and those hot summers were a real encouragement to him to finish off his degree.

[paulsvintage]

one more i picked up this week H.H. TAMMEN " LUCKY BUCK " brand not much info only that the company existed

[trail]

Paul, that certainly qualifies as obscure. I really enjoy seeing it. It makes me think of all the thousands of small shops all over the world where a few craftsmen and their assistants made knives. It was an honest and honorable way to make a living. I'm sure the names of the men who made your knife have faded into oblivion, but something of them remains as long as we collect and cherish their knives.

That's a very distinctive tang stamp. Could you show us a close-up?

[trail]

Here is a John B. Rand knife from Solingen. I have found a few mentions on the internet, but not much information. Bernard Levine states on his site that it was undoubtedly the stamp of one of the many small wholesalers who imported knives during the 1950s. This sounds reasonable to me. At the time, Germany was struggling to recover from the devastation of World War II. Most of Germany's output was going into exports, to earn the hard currency to rebuild and pay reparations (many people don't realize that Germany paid more in reparations after the second war than the first). Well made German knives were cheap, and many small businesses engaged in the importation of them into America. It was a hard time for the American makers, but it helped rebuild Germany and make the country into a dependable ally instead of a bitter enemy.

[paulsvintage]

Paul, that certainly qualifies as obscure. I really enjoy seeing it. It makes me think of all the thousands of small shops all over the world where a few craftsmen and their assistants made knives. It was an honest and honorable way to make a living. I'm sure the names of the men who made your knife have faded into oblivion, but something of them remains as long as we collect and cherish their knives.

That's a very distinctive tang stamp. Could you show us a close-up?

Trail, thats a sweet fixed blade you got ! this is the best i can do for now . just ordered a scanner and photo shop from amazon