PLATTS BROS, ummmm!!!!!!!!!!! maybe it is?

[PA Knives]

Give me your opinion on this Platts Bros knife. Look closely at the stamp of the secondary blade. Was this knife made in Little Valley for Platts, or is it just some fakery? It came from a junk store, so I doubt it was done on deliberately. I just find it interesting. It looks real otherwise! what do you think?

click on pics to enlarge

[Bret888]

That is strange. Since the grind line above NY, has less patina, than below the line, I would think it had to be done later in life. I would think, if they used parts left over from some of the prior locations, that they would have ground them flat before assembly?

[Another Knife Collector]

Here's my 2 cents... I would say it is correct, a contract knife or left over parts. I have seen a couple other examples of this, one that I specifically remember is a Wedgeway that had remnants of a Schrade stamp on the smaller blade. In terms of counterfeiting it had all original finish including etch and patina, not to mention it would have been considerably more valuable as a Schrade.


Regarding the knife shown it does not appear to have been buffed, seems to have the correct blade finish, and has some apparent oxidation staining from age. The relatively uncommon barehead sleeveboard pattern seems to be have been made most commonly around the era that knife would be from. Are you sure the blades are stainless? Hard to tell from the photos. The pins look well done, no scars in the handles or bolsters from amateur assembly. Of course it is hard make any sort of concrete determination without the knife in hand.

To look at it from a counterfeiter's perspective, beyond being from a rare maker a sleeveboard pen knife with imitation ivory scales is not very collectable and monetarily probably would not merit the effort to make a decent fake. If one is going to make a fake better to spend time on a large bone or stag handle knife that would bring top dollar. Of course one would not expect a fake to have a broken blade and to be anything other than heavily buffed as well. Also knowing it came from a junk store gives it a better provenance than if it came from ebay or a show.

All in all, it looks good to me! Nice old knife!

[PA Knives]

Excellent observations "Another Knife Collector" I agree with your thoughts 100%. No I am not sure its stainless, they just seem a little different than the carbon blades i am use to seeing, therefore that was just a guess. The staining maybe from the supposed Cell handles, the staining is consistent with that situation from others I am familar with. I paid very little for it, but to own a Platt Bros Eldred was a thrill for me. I just thought the secondary had a tale to tell as you have demostrated. I think I'll keep her around a while.

[Miller Bro's]

The secondary blade that has been ground looks like it was stamped Gowanda N.Y., hard to tell from the photo. I cleaned it up some and the clearer photo is posted below.

The blades are carbon steel. Also, the cell is off gassing, note the tell tale line of oxidation above the liners when the blades are in the closed position.

Even the nickle silver bolsters are oxidizing. The liners under the cell handles are most likely corroded and the handles should be popped off, IMO.

If not keep it away from your good stuff

[edgy46]

My two cents. The Platts made contract knives. If a cuttler needed one or two more blades to finish an order he might use an identical blade already marked with another name. Step by step mass production always has leftovers. One hundred years ago they didn't throw anything away. There is a puzzle here. The original mark is the key. More of the stamp might be made out with the right lighting. (jmho)