Marbles Safety Folding Knife

[Mason]

The Marbles safety folding knives are quite an interesting concept. Basically a folding sheath knife that you could carry in your pocket (although they all originally came with a belt pouch). Here is an original later model and pouch which pre dates America's involvement in WWII. The original Marbles safety folding knives began around 1902 and ceased about 1940 with many variations and sizes offered along the way.

[stockman]

Nice knife Mason

Stockman

[treefarmer]

Mason,
That's a great looking knife! What is embossed on the leather above the latch, can't quite make it out?
Treefarmer

[tongueriver]

Mason, I can't believe the slow responses here; those knives are to die for, and the prices prove it. VERY NICE!!!

[Beechtree]

Great looking knife Mason!

[danno50]

Mason, that's a beaut! Not much blade loss and good condition to boot.

Dan

[Mason]

Thanks all, and while I've heard that most of the later model pouches were unmarked, this one has "Dietzgen" impressed lightly within an oval shape just above the button.

[1967redrider]

They are sweet knives, I'm partial to them also. Just the right weight, interesting and functional locking mechanism, great quality and workmanship. Just can't say enough about vintage Marbles knives and outdoor products.

[tongueriver]

I looked at the recently published and very nice encyclopedia on Marbles knives, and I think that there is a good chance that the sheath is not original. (just fyi). great knife!

[Mason]

They are sweet knives, I'm partial to them also. Just the right weight, interesting and functional locking mechanism, great quality and workmanship. Just can't say enough about vintage Marbles knives and outdoor products.

They are indeed as you say.

[Mason]

I looked at the recently published and very nice encyclopedia on Marbles knives, and I think that there is a good chance that the sheath is not original. (just fyi). great knife!

I do not yet have this Marbles book and you could be correct, but I base the possibility of the pouch being correct on a few observations. In researching the "Dietzgen" stamp (and logo) on the pouch, it turned out to be a Chicago based company founded in 1885 which produced slide rules and various drafting and surveying equipment, of which most came with leather pouches. We can be fairly certain that "Marbles" did not make the pouches for their knives in Gladstone Michigan and Chicago would have been the closest large city to acquire such an item. In a 2002 "Knife World" article by Mark Zalesky it states the early Safety Folding Knife pouches had an octagonal shaped bottom while later models had a rounded bottom. While this pouch appears to be of the correct time period, it could have been made for another object from "Dietzen", but it is an odd shape and fits the knife perfectly in all dimensions. We know that all companies continually contract out to various suppliers pending price and availability, and while I can not state that the pouch was produced for this knife I would also not rule out the possibility that it was, if only for a short time.

[1967redrider]

Mason, this book is a must have for Marbles collectors; Arni Dunathan's The Encyclopedia of Marble's Knives and Sporting Goods. Lots of great information and pictures of knives, axes and other outdoor products that Marbles produced through the many decades they were in Gladstone, MI.

[Mason]

Mason, this book is a must have for Marbles collectors; Arni Dunathan's The Encyclopedia of Marble's Knives and Sporting Goods. Lots of great information and pictures of knives, axes and other outdoor products that Marbles produced through the many decades they were in Gladstone, MI.

Thanks for the advice, and I will put it on my Christmas list.

[Miller Bro's]

Basically a folding sheath knife that you could carry in your pocket (although they all originally came with a belt pouch). Here is an original later model and pouch which pre dates America's involvement in WWII.

The original sheath was a drop in type, they did not have a cover & button snap

Here is one from my collection.

[Mason]

Basically a folding sheath knife that you could carry in your pocket (although they all originally came with a belt pouch). Here is an original later model and pouch which pre dates America's involvement in WWII.

The original sheath was a drop in type, they did not have a cover & button snap

Here is one from my collection.

Very nice knife, thanks for the picture and information regarding the sheath. I have to say that I have never seen an actual sheath for this Marbles folding knife, only a few catalog pictures which do not look like the one I have shown. I'm probably reaching in thinking that this could have been a later model sheath.

[Miller Bro's]

Very nice knife, thanks for the picture and information regarding the sheath. I have to say that I have never seen an actual sheath for this Marbles folding knife, only a few catalog pictures which do not look like the one I have shown. I'm probably reaching in thinking that this could have been a later model sheath.

I have a couple sheaths, I have seen three slightly different models, they are all drop in type with no cover. I will have to find one of mine and post a picture for you. Judging from the few I have seen over the years the sheath was either quickly lost or discarded

[RobesonsRme.com]

It is really interesting how often the Marbles Safety Folding Hunters appear on Ebay.

Either Webster made a ton of them or they are great survivors of what they were designed to do.

To me, the greatest item that Marbles ever marketed were those Game-Getter pistol/rifles with the attachable shoulder stocks.

I think they were offered in .22/.44 calibre.

I'd love to own one of those.

I saw one several years ago at a gun show in Birmingham. It was New Old Stock, still in the original box with all the papers and a red stringed tag hanging from the trigger guard.

What a beautiful piece.

What an outrageous price.

Which is why I do not have one.

Charlie Noyes

[Miller Bro's]

As promised here is an original leather drop in sheath.

[Mason]

It is really interesting how often the Marbles Safety Folding Hunters appear on Ebay.

Either Webster made a ton of them or they are great survivors of what they were designed to do.

To me, the greatest item that Marbles ever marketed were those Game-Getter pistol/rifles with the attachable shoulder stocks.

I think they were offered in .22/.44 calibre.

I'd love to own one of those.

I saw one several years ago at a gun show in Birmingham. It was New Old Stock, still in the original box with all the papers and a red stringed tag hanging from the trigger guard.

What a beautiful piece.

What an outrageous price.

Which is why I do not have one.



Charlie Noyes

Probably both, in that many were made and the quality carried them through for many years. While you do see many on auction as you say, it's hard to find really nice examples.

The "Game Getter's" are very cool and there was a similar type model which was produced in the 1970s or 1980s??? by a company called "Firearms Int. Corp." out of Washington which produced take apart skeleton stock .22 and .22/.410 lightweight rifles which were reminiscent of the Game Getter. I would have loved to have seen the original boxed example which you described.

[Mason]

As promised here is an original leather drop in sheath.

Very nice and thanks for the picture. Is this one of the earlier examples?

[stagman]

Thanks to all for all the pics and talk of this incredible knife...fixed blade strength
in a folder that was designed 110 yrs ago and nobody has ever came up with anything better...
toungeriver & miller bro's,,,you are correct, the flip top snap sheath mason has was never made for the Marble's Safety folder, may be a good fit, but Marble's never used anything like this, all drop in as you
say, pouch type sheaths, the one pictured here is late MSA peroid, 1907-1911,
you can tell the way the sides at the top are cut on an angle, not straight
We might want to ask Bryan why we have no Marble's catagory in the section with
all the old knife outfits are in
Will

[RobesonsRme.com]

Probably for the same reason there is no Robeson Forum.

Not enough over-all interest in the brand.

There are only a bit over a 1/2 dozen folks here that contribute to any Robeson topic.

Charlie

[RobesonsRme.com]

http://ingunowners.com/forums/long_guns ... ation.html

$2000.00. $1000.00 just to get your name on a waiting list.

Probably worth it, too.

Charlie Noyes

[Miller Bro's]

Charlie,

that ad in the link is 3 years old. I think they were mostly made in China and then the parts assembled here, someone correct me if I am wrong about that

[RobesonsRme.com]

I knew it was a 2010 ad.

I wasn't aware of the China made parts.

So, probably not worth it if that was the case.

Charlie