At one time a Primo Knife

[Mossdancer]

I can't help myself I just seem to be drawn to these old guys. Would be nice to know more about it, my guess would be Tortoise handles, nice bolsters. I suppose it would be a swell center jack or a Jenny Lind. What are some more opinions. The master is marked with Knife Co. Under an arched Northfield. The other blade that is the best scan is K Co. Under an arched Northfield.
Anyone know what years these marks were used.
moss

[philco]

W.B.,
My copy of Goins does not list the specific stamp shown on your knife. It does say that the Northfield Knife Company began making knives in 1858 and continued in business until 1919. The "UN-X-LD" trademark was adopted in 1876.
The three tang stamps listed for the Northfield Knife Co. are;

1.Northfield Cutlery Co. c1858-1919
2.Northfield Cutlery Co. Conn. c 1858-1919
3.Northfield UN-X-LD Knife Co. c 1876-1919

There is a knife shown which is marked Northfield (curved) UNXLD Knife Co.

Wish I could have been of more help.

Phil

[orvet]

That is a sweet old knife.
I love the elegant lines and the swedge grind!

How long is it?

Dale

[j5109]

can some one give inf. on this knife

[Mossdancer]

Phil:
I can find no sign of un-x-ld anywhere on knife, I found this old jenny lind and it is marked as shown Northfield arched over n co. At least that is what my eyes see. The photo can be taken to your Photo Shop and cropped so you can see it.

Orvet:
Thanks Dale, here is another photo showing size and comparison to the Jenny Lind.

j5109:
Hopefully someone comes along that can fill us both in. Yours appears to be of the same time frame. Evidently Northfield liked to use Swell center frames. Three for Three even with the new math is still better than 80%.
moss

[philco]

W.B.,

My totally uneducated guess would be that your knife and the one J5109 have posted are both from the early days of production by the Northfield Knife Co. prior to their adopting the UN-X-LD tang stamp. As I'm sure you are aware, none of these guides are 100% accurate or complete. That tang stamp may have been one that was only used for a few years, who knows? At any rate, both knives show a lot of skill and craftsmanship in their making. I can definately see why you are drawn to the "oldies".
There was a later Northfield stamp used by Henry Gill, but Goins shows his knives as only being stamped "Northfield". They were of a later era, produced up until 1964. I really doubt that is the source of these two knives.

Phil

[Miller Bro's]

Moss,

Your knife is a swell center whittler, gold backed Tortoise shell handles. The model number is #279, they also handled it in Ivory and Pearl. It was a premium knife in it`s day and would cost more than the average jack. The knife looks to me to have been produced between 1890-1919 period. There are no records of all the dates the tang stamps were used by the early cutlery companies, so we may never know the exact date on this knife, unless this information comes to light.


M.B.

[philco]

Miller Bros.,

Do you have a source that shows the use of that particular tang stamp? As I said in my previous post, my copy of Goins Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings does not list that particular tang stamp. I have no doubt it is a legitimate stamp, I'm just curious as to where one might find a more comprehensive reference.

Thanks,
Phil

[Miller Bro's]

Phil,

To my knowledge there isn`t any other comprehensive reference.

I do not have a source that shows that particular tang stamp.

However, I am certain it is genuine, there are many undiscovered tang stamps still waiting to be identified. The knife is authentic, as I have seen it in an original catalog cut, that is how I know what the factory model number is. The old cutlery company knife catalogs are still the best source for information on old knives. But just try to find them!


M.B.

[orvet]

Phil,
The old cutlery company knife catalogs are still the best source for information on old knives. But just try to find them!


M.B.

Well said! Bravo!

Dale

[Mossdancer]

MB:
Thanks, undoubtedly the resources right here at home on the AAPK, are equal to or better than anywhere on the web. Although the piece is of mediocre value it is in my opinion a great example of early history.
moss