Hen and Rooster information

[CircleE]

I just came across this knife and got it pretty cheap. I’ve been researching these knifes and I am trying to figure out a date on this one. I know at some point in the 80s they were sent to Spain. I’m just wondering if this knife is a genuine knife made in Solingen Germany and what date it may have been made!

[RevolverGuy]

Not sure of the year it was manufactured. Hen & Rooster's are hard to date. I have noticed that later one's have a hen/rooster stamp that seem less detailed than the earlier ones. But that one has the SOLINGEN stamp which means it was definitely made in Solingen, Germany.

Also the 203 MOP means model 203 (3" 3 blade whittler) with mother of pearl.

[kootenay joe]

The most valuable Hen & Rooster knives are those made before 1975 and are usually marked "C. Bertram". From 1975 to 1980 Hen & Rooster was owned by A.G.Russell and he continued having the knives made by cutlers often working at home and bringing in their work to get paid; i.e. they were not mass produced factory knives.
In 1980 the bank foreclosed and the rights to the Hen & Rooster name and logos went to a large company that contracted out the knife making to German cutlery manufacturers, at first Kissing Crane and later i believe to Boker, and some might have been made in Spain. All of these knives are marked "Bertram Cutlery" and usually have pattern numbers and a shield. They are well made knives but many consider them to not be 'real "Hen & Rooster" knives.
More recently i think some of the H&R knives come from China ?
kj

[Bamarick]

Hello,
From what information I have, it looks like your knife was made around 1983 or shortly after. I believe it was most likely made by Robert Klass Cutlery for Hen & Rooster. Someone with better information may jump in at any time but I hope this helps. ------Ricky

[kootenay joe]

Hello,
From what information I have, it looks like your knife was made around 1983 or shortly after. I believe it was most likely made by Robert Klass Cutlery for Hen & Rooster. Someone with better information may jump in at any time but I hope this helps. ------Ricky

Ricky, did you read my post right above yours ?
kj

[CircleE]

Thanks All. Information greatly appreciated!!

[Bamarick]

Hello,
From what information I have, it looks like your knife was made around 1983 or shortly after. I believe it was most likely made by Robert Klass Cutlery for Hen & Rooster. Someone with better information may jump in at any time but I hope this helps. ------Ricky

Ricky, did you read my post right above yours ?
kj

Roland,
I'm sorry, I didn't see your post. I may have been in the process of posting during the time you posted this and I didn't go back and read after I posted. Your information is very much in line with what I have. Here is what information I have. "The firm, its factory, and trademark were owned by Bertram family members until 1975 when it sold to A.G.Russell of Springdale, Arkansas. Production was ceased in 1980 and the business liquidated in 1983. The trademark and the right to use the Bertram name were purchased by Jim Frost of Frost cutlery and Howard Rabin of Star Sales in partnership with Hugo Schiesen of Germany's Robert Klass firm. Knives made since 1983 have been manufactured in Germany by Klass and perhaps other firms. Hen & Rooster knives manufactured after 1983 are marked Bertram Cutlery, Rostfrei, followed by the knife's pattern number." The stamping of the pictured knife matches the stamping I referenced from my information. Again, sorry I missed your post but it is very accurate and informative.
Ricky

[kootenay joe]

Ricky, thanks for posting the expanded version of the Hen & Rooster ownership change. I did not know that Jim Frost was involved.
Do you know if the H&R knives are still being made in Germany ? Robert Klass went out of business in late 1980's i think ?
We don't often see the pre 1975 H&R knives here in North America. I would assume there are more of them in Europe.
kj

[1967redrider]

No disrespect to the late James A. Frost, but the new Hen & Roosters make me wonder about their Country of Origin claim. Are they really made in Germany with German materials?

There is also a Hen & Rooster International line of knives. Just my 2¢.

[Bamarick]

Ricky, thanks for posting the expanded version of the Hen & Rooster ownership change. I did not know that Jim Frost was involved.
Do you know if the H&R knives are still being made in Germany ? Robert Klass went out of business in late 1980's i think ?
We don't often see the pre 1975 H&R knives here in North America. I would assume there are more of them in Europe.
kj

Hi Roland, No, I don't really know if any Hen & Rooster knives are still being produced in Germany. I don't collect them, the few I have were purchased in collections from time to time, and none recently. I do know that some Hen & Rooster knives are made in Spain, I have maybe 3 or 4 of them somewhere. Most of my collection/accumulation involves Case and other older American knife brands. I'm certainly not an expert on any of them but I was lucky to have had a good friend who owned a cutlery business just around the corner from where I worked. I spent a lot of time in his shop and was able to handle literally thousands of knives and ask questions about them. He passed away a couple of years ago, I've retired, and we aren't having shows around this area so I've sort of been out of the loop lately. I do read a lot of the posts here on AAPK but I rarely post. This is a great place to get almost any kind of information you need and I really appreciate your posts and the posts of all the others here.
Ricky