WW1 W.R Case & Sons Hobo

[XxTestedxX]

Recently picked up this unused hobo, W.R Case & Sons

More commonly found by makes such as Holley, Ulster, Camillus etc.

[Mumbleypeg]

Nice find! Possibly a contract knife made for W.R. CASE & SONS. JMO. What makes you think it’s WWI? (Not saying it’s not, just curious. Most sources date the stamp 1905-1914 - WWI didn’t start until 1914.)

Ken

[XxTestedxX]

That could vary well be..

Case has an article on their page about them.. so I went with that

As for it being a contract knife, that’s possible to, figure if it was military, maybe they contracted several manufactures to make them. It would seem odd they’d contract case to do such and case go on and sub contract it.. however, that’s business so..

[Ridgegrass]

I've had quite a few of those, not a W.R.Case. I read that some were Red Cross contracts and many didn't get to the front before the armistice and hence, not distributed. That could explain why all of the ones I've seen are in nearly unused condition. The U.S. didn't enter the war until April 6, 1917 with the first American troops landing in France in June of 1917, seventeen months before the end. It's a nice relic of that awful war. J.O'.

[Mumbleypeg]

That could vary well be..

Case has an article on their page about them.. so I went with that

What article are you speaking of? I’d like to read it.

Thanks.

The U.S. didn't enter the war until April 6, 1917 with the first American troops landing in France in June of 1917, seventeen months before the end. J.O'.

That’s why I was questioning the WWI theory. If Case stopped use of the W.R. CASE & SONS stamp in 1914 as most sources say, and used the CASE BRADFORD stamp from then until 1919, I’d expect anything made by them for WWI to be stamped CASE BRADFORD. I’ll be the first to agree the dates of use for the stamps is not absolute. Just trying to find some concrete evidence of it.

Ken

[XxTestedxX]

https://www.casexx.com/blog/red-cross-knives/

Small article. Nothing concrete

It’s says x amount were made in 1917 alone, however doesn’t say when they started marking them?

I’m open to idea of the stamp being used post 1914

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks. Interesting. I suppose the Red Cross might have ordered them for WWI before the U.S. entered the war. That, or as I suspect the dates the stamps were used are not finite.

BTW that’s the Shepherd Hills Cutlery web site. You had me looking for it on the Case website.

Ken

[Ridgegrass]

The pattern may not have been exclusively for the war, just a pattern that was adopted from an earlier production some time prior to the war.
J.O'.