Old and Obscure Brands
- paulsvintage
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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
two more for this thread i just got. one Car-Van S.P. CO. Canton ,O and a very old 1800's CRooks Bros. SHeffield .. Horn handles
Never Argue With a idiot
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
- tjmurphy
- Posts: 11129
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- Location: South of Cincinnati
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
WOW!! Very nice Paul

"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"
God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.
God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.
- slimpickins
- Posts: 302
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- Location: Warren Michigan
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Man those are two beauties Paul! That Crookes Brothers most certainly is old, 1820-1850. Love the bolster. Where was the Car-Van made. Slim.
- paulsvintage
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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Thanks TJ & Slim the car-van was made in Canton Ohio was part of Canton Cutlery. got both knives at AAPK stores 
Never Argue With a idiot
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
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Jacknifeben
- Posts: 1657
- Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:06 pm
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Pretty fancy old WINCHESTER. Both blades brand stamped and number 2908.
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- bonehead
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- Location: SC
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
JKB,
You gotta love that one.. Thats just a cool frame along with the rat bolsters and awesome bone. Very Nice
BH
You gotta love that one.. Thats just a cool frame along with the rat bolsters and awesome bone. Very Nice
BH
- tjmurphy
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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"
God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.
God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.
- paulsvintage
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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Never Argue With a idiot
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
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Jacknifeben
- Posts: 1657
- Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:06 pm
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Thanks, I have been to a few shows and never seen one like it>
- slimpickins
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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
JKB I think that Winchester definitely fits the "rare" description. Beautiful knife!!!!. Slim.
- paulsvintage
- Posts: 2160
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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
picked up a J.Ward.......cXs American pocket cutlery ...1913..... not to much info in goins
Never Argue With a idiot
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
- FRJ
- Gold Tier

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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Paul,
that's one beautiful knife. Very elegant blades. .......... and a box!!!!!
that's one beautiful knife. Very elegant blades. .......... and a box!!!!!
Joe
- paulsvintage
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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Joe thanks, got it from Galvanic was very pleased !FRJ wrote:Paul,
that's one beautiful knife. Very elegant blades. .......... and a box!!!!!
Never Argue With a idiot
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
-
eckurz
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:14 am
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
I still haven't id'd this completely, but after talking with Joan Ulwin, head archivist at Carver's Hall in Sheffield, I have a better understanding.
The early 1800's in England had a lot of things going on in the labor movement department. There were a few in Sheffield, most notorious was a Spring Knife union that used different tactics to get and keep members. They wanted to make it so all the shops were "closed" meaning you had to be in the Union to make knives or work in the industry. They would even do what they called "rattening" which meant they would steal a guy's tools so he couldn't work until he paid his dues, etc. A few guys were beaten or killed, too.
I'm pretty sure my knife was made by one of the three Taylors i found(John, Francis, or Henry). He probably put "Union" in the title to make sure everybody knew he was a member.
Joan said she never saw that mark before, but Cutlers' Hall would only have records if the guy had business with "the Company" as they called it, which was mainly to register apprentices, and to celebrate an apprentice becoming a Master (freedoms). After 1814 they no longer had to register with Cutlers hall, so only a few a year did after that. They could put any marking they wanted on their blades, as long as they weren't trying to duplicate a registered mark.
I found the Union info looking thru the British National Archives. You can't see too much without requesting copies, but you can read the titles and what the subject was. Searching on "cutler" found a lot of property transfers to and from guys who were listed as cutlers. When you see names like Wilkenson and George Wolstenholm its pretty cool.
It definitely was NOT made by Taylor Eye-Witness.
The early 1800's in England had a lot of things going on in the labor movement department. There were a few in Sheffield, most notorious was a Spring Knife union that used different tactics to get and keep members. They wanted to make it so all the shops were "closed" meaning you had to be in the Union to make knives or work in the industry. They would even do what they called "rattening" which meant they would steal a guy's tools so he couldn't work until he paid his dues, etc. A few guys were beaten or killed, too.
I'm pretty sure my knife was made by one of the three Taylors i found(John, Francis, or Henry). He probably put "Union" in the title to make sure everybody knew he was a member.
Joan said she never saw that mark before, but Cutlers' Hall would only have records if the guy had business with "the Company" as they called it, which was mainly to register apprentices, and to celebrate an apprentice becoming a Master (freedoms). After 1814 they no longer had to register with Cutlers hall, so only a few a year did after that. They could put any marking they wanted on their blades, as long as they weren't trying to duplicate a registered mark.
I found the Union info looking thru the British National Archives. You can't see too much without requesting copies, but you can read the titles and what the subject was. Searching on "cutler" found a lot of property transfers to and from guys who were listed as cutlers. When you see names like Wilkenson and George Wolstenholm its pretty cool.
It definitely was NOT made by Taylor Eye-Witness.
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- paulsvintage
- Posts: 2160
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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Nice old one ! Looks like you did your homework, very good info
Never Argue With a idiot
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
They'll bring you down to their level & beat you with experience
PAUL
- orvet
- Gold Tier

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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Great knife & great research!
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
Dale
AAPK Administrator
Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet
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“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
AAPK Administrator
Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet
Job 13:15
"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
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Jacknifeben
- Posts: 1657
- Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:06 pm
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Went to a auction yesterday that had "pocket knives" in the listing. This old ugly knife was in the box. Now my other JACK KNIFE BEN rooster nutter is not lonely.
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- orvet
- Gold Tier

- Posts: 19898
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Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Great find!
Congrats.
Congrats.
Dale
AAPK Administrator
Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet
Job 13:15
"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
AAPK Administrator
Please visit my AAPK store: www.allaboutpocketknives.com/orvet
Job 13:15
"Buy more ammo!" - Johnnie Fain
“Evil is Powerless If The Good are Unafraid.” – Ronald Reagan
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trutemper
- Posts: 443
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:55 am
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Howdy guys, been so busy lately I had a lot of catching up to do here. Wow.....what a great bunch of knives have been posted in the last couple weeks!! So many brands Ive never seen before. Thanks to all!!! I`ll post a few oddities and see if i can drum up any infor on them above and beyong what I know. Here is the first. The ricasso stamp looks like : F+J+F and below that Primastahl so I assume its an old German office knife.
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trutemper
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trutemper
- Posts: 443
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:55 am
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Here is another obscure brand of which I kno nothing other than whats on the ricasso stamp: Kresge Germany. A real pretty little knife that is listed on Ebay and ends tonight I think. Unfortuntaley I need to pay for some hospital bills(just had gall bladder surgery). Uggghhhh.
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trutemper
- Posts: 443
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:55 am
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Here is another oddity. Ricasso stamped on both blades: VANCO
Below that and barely visible is "Indianapolis" so I`m assuming that maybe this was a stamp that Van Camp Cutlery used since they were located there. Interesting little knife wth some pretty heavy duty blades for the type of knife that it is.
Below that and barely visible is "Indianapolis" so I`m assuming that maybe this was a stamp that Van Camp Cutlery used since they were located there. Interesting little knife wth some pretty heavy duty blades for the type of knife that it is.
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trutemper
- Posts: 443
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:55 am
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
This only the second Wabash Cutlery knife Ive ever owned. Recently let it go on Ebay to help pay the hospital....Ughhh....
Have a super day guys and once again.....thanks for sharin!!
Bob
Have a super day guys and once again.....thanks for sharin!!
Bob
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trutemper
- Posts: 443
- Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:55 am
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Yet another very old and obscure brand....Terrier Cutlery(1910-1916) which was made by Robeson per Levine: Havent even had time to take a toothpick and toothbrush to this one yet.
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texastoothpick
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Mon Sep 05, 2011 10:09 pm
Re: Old and Obscure Brands
Fascinating thread, and it really has legs, been running a while.
I see on our list here a couple obscure ones that I have, and they, like all the knives I will show you, are of the toothpick pattern: Shumate and Crucible Cutlery. The Crucible is a very nicely made knife.
So here are pics of a first few in alphabetical order, more I will add later. I will try and focus on the tang stamps as you folks have done and add more photos later.
AA Fisher 1910
Adolph Blaich-Arrow Brand, 1983-1915
Brantford Cutlery 1910?
Commander - Made by Metropolitan Cutlery 1918-1951
Enterprise Cutlery 1918-1920s
I see on our list here a couple obscure ones that I have, and they, like all the knives I will show you, are of the toothpick pattern: Shumate and Crucible Cutlery. The Crucible is a very nicely made knife.
So here are pics of a first few in alphabetical order, more I will add later. I will try and focus on the tang stamps as you folks have done and add more photos later.
AA Fisher 1910
Adolph Blaich-Arrow Brand, 1983-1915
Brantford Cutlery 1910?
Commander - Made by Metropolitan Cutlery 1918-1951
Enterprise Cutlery 1918-1920s