More info about Rather & Co Slovakia

[Rookie]

This knife found it's way to me. It was in a box of junk at an auction. I cleaned some of the bad rust off the blades. The handles aren't in too bad of shape. I liked the ornate insets on the front handle. The small blade has no markings. The large blade says "Rather & Co." on the front, and on the rear has something written I can't make out, and "Slovakia" under that.

Does anyone recognize what the word over Slovakia could say?

The knife is pretty neat sleeveboard shape. Measures 3 3/8 inch closed. I'm guessing it's from the 1930-1950 age range somewhere.

[Rookie]

I was able to find a few similar looking knives online, using a reverse image search, however none of them are the same brand.

First one is listed as Westfield MFG Germany measures 2 1/2 inch.

2nd one is United Cutlery stamped Austria. The listing said it was 1901-1920 range.

3rd one is again United Cutlery, Austria. They say it is horn handles. 1908-1922.

[New_Windsor_NY]

This.....

Here are two different tang stamps on two of my knives.
But, they are NOT Rather & Cᴏ̲
Yours "may" have been similar to one of them.

[Mumbleypeg]

This knife found it's way to me. It was in a box of junk at an auction. I cleaned some of the bad rust off the blades. The handles aren't in too bad of shape. I liked the ornate insets on the front handle. The small blade has no markings. The large blade says "Rather & Co." on the front, and on the rear has something written I can't make out, and "Slovakia" under that.

Does anyone recognize what the word over Slovakia could say?

The knife is pretty neat sleeveboard shape. Measures 3 3/8 inch closed. I'm guessing it's from the 1930-1950 age range somewhere.

Here’s my similar, maybe identical Rather & Co. pen knife. Can’t read the the pile side stamp on it either.

Ken

[Rookie]

This.....

Here are two different tang stamps on two of my knives.
But, they are NOT Rather & Cᴏ̲
Yours "may" have been similar to one of them.

I can make out a few letters, I don't think it says Czecho but it is extremely difficult to make out. I had my daughter and wife both spend a lot of time trying to decipher it, and in the end we all gave up trying.

This knife found it's way to me. It was in a box of junk at an auction. I cleaned some of the bad rust off the blades. The handles aren't in too bad of shape. I liked the ornate insets on the front handle. The small blade has no markings. The large blade says "Rather & Co." on the front, and on the rear has something written I can't make out, and "Slovakia" under that.

Does anyone recognize what the word over Slovakia could say?

The knife is pretty neat sleeveboard shape. Measures 3 3/8 inch closed. I'm guessing it's from the 1930-1950 age range somewhere.

Here’s my similar, maybe identical Rather & Co. pen knife. Can’t read the the pile side stamp on it either.

Ken

Amazing Ken that we have twin knives from that long ago. It does look to be an exact match of mine.

[Rookie]

This knife found it's way to me. It was in a box of junk at an auction. I cleaned some of the bad rust off the blades. The handles aren't in too bad of shape. I liked the ornate insets on the front handle. The small blade has no markings. The large blade says "Rather & Co." on the front, and on the rear has something written I can't make out, and "Slovakia" under that.

Does anyone recognize what the word over Slovakia could say?

The knife is pretty neat sleeveboard shape. Measures 3 3/8 inch closed. I'm guessing it's from the 1930-1950 age range somewhere.

Here’s my similar, maybe identical Rather & Co. pen knife. Can’t read the the pile side stamp on it either.

Ken

Is the handle black cow horn? With mine I thought it was just a dark wood with a lot of grain striations.

[Mumbleypeg]

It's wood. Mine has some striping in it, sorta like zabrawood.

Ken

[Miller Bro's]

Both knives have horn handles.

[Rookie]

Both knives have horn handles.

Thanks. Sometimes with these very old knives it is very hard to tell.

[Lars0729]

Have you guys seen this one here on AAPK?
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/ca ... t_id=98524

This one is an A.W. Wadsworth & Son model. Looks very close to both of yours...makes me wonder if the style/pattern wasn't under license to several manufacturers. If we keep digging, we'll probably find some made by Gurlach as well. (Yea...I had to drop a Polish name in there!)

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks Lars. That’s interesting. Confirms Wadsworth is likely the maker of the two shown in this thread. Pretty sure mine is not celluloid - I thought it is wood but Dimitri says it is horn, and he’s usually right.

I have several other Rathers, none of which have any other similar stamp or COO markings, but I have long suspected European origin. They may be Wadsworth also, but they don’t say so, and having no COO leads me to believe they are likely older.

Ken

[Rookie]

Have you guys seen this one here on AAPK?
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/ca ... t_id=98524

This one is an A.W. Wadsworth & Son model. Looks very close to both of yours...makes me wonder if the style/pattern wasn't under license to several manufacturers. If we keep digging, we'll probably find some made by Gurlach as well. (Yea...I had to drop a Polish name in there!)

Thank you, no I had not saw that one on the AAPK store. Very interesting.

Thanks Lars. That’s interesting. Confirms Wadsworth is likely the maker of the two shown in this thread. Pretty sure mine is not celluloid - I thought it is wood but Dimitri says it is horn, and he’s usually right.

I have several other Rathers, none of which have any other similar stamp or COO markings, but I have long suspected European origin. They may be Wadsworth also, but they don’t say so, and having no COO leads me to believe they are likely older.

Ken

I showed it on BF as well, and someone commented that they have saw a few others, but never with the "Slovakia" stamp on the blade. Apparently there must be a variety of them floating around out there.

[wlf]

Here's my shadow pattern horn handled United Cutlery Austria inlaid folder with a cute hawkbill , to open wine bottles.

[Rookie]

Here's my shadow pattern horn handled United Cutlery Austria inlaid folder with a cute hawkbill , to open wine bottles.

Great looking knife Lyle. I'd have liked to been around 80 years ago and got a tour of the factory that was making these knives.