Common Language

[Handlewithcare]

Folks, forgive me for this, but I have a little too much project management in me....call me slow if you want, but I was hoping you all would educate me on what you call the following items:

1) What is the common name for the C. Schlieper over Eye tang stamp?
2) What about the Eye over Solingen Federal shield?
3) Is the term "Three Eye" something all of you use, or do you despise the term?
4) What is the term you use for a knife that exhibits old and new characteristics, like a "part" knife or one made between periods? If I called those "Transitional" would you know what I mean?

Ok, I admit this is kind of nerdy....and I obviously need help....

[keithw]

I can only speak for myself, but here goes:

1. I call it the arched tang stamp
2. Just the Solingen shield as opposed to the plain (Federal) shield, or the round Solingen shield
3. I use the term three eye
4. Transitional sounds good to me. I've also heard part knife or lunchbox knife.

[EyeBJoe]

I , like Keith, will only speak for myself, having been interested in the Schlieper cutlery for a long time. And, I don't think these types of questions are nerdy at all. They are revealing more interesting ideas on the cutlery. Someone posted recently that there is a lot of Gray when it comes to Eye Brand.

1. I have mostly referred to the C. Schlieper stamp just as you described it in your question. "C.
Schlieper over Eye". Any Eye Brand collector would certainly know what an arched tang stamp was, though. This is why we probably need some brave soul to try to step out there and pursue a publication on Eye Brand and make a stab at establishing some "common" terminology.
2. Right in line with Keith on number 2.
3. The "Three Eye" term is something that entered into the mix maybe 15 or so years ago. It seems to have become the common term. It is not something that I have used in visiting with collectors over the years but it does now rise to the term that is most accepted. In reviewing the informative posts recently on the variations of blade etchings it is evident that a "Two Eye", "One Eye", and even a "No Eye" variation is out there. Are these also used in addition to "Three Eye"? Maybe that's a nonsense question.
4. Question number 4. regarding "Transitional" is probably the most difficult to nail down in my opinion if you are applying it to Eye Brand. I think it is safe to say that there was no orchestrated effort in Germany to specifically do an orderly transition from one stamping, etching, etc. to the next. Considering that there were designated local families in Solingen that conducted various assembly processes for Schlieper on a number of pattern variations, I guess it is possible that there could be any number of variations of excess parts, old parts, etc. that could have been used from time-to-time to finish out a specific order. Transitional is probably the best word as long as it is understood that it does not connote the types of transition such as in Case knives.

As I look back over my answers I guess I'm trying to over analyze. It's just a perspective and not intended to be "the" answer.


Joe D.