First Bulldog that started it all....

Dutch900 · Post by **Dutch900** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:34 pm

Gotta say, I love this forum. I just need to spend more time looking around and get more familiar.

Back in June of 2002 I saw this toothpick and fell in love with the Bulldog brand. This is the knife that started my search and collection of Bulldogs. (I mostly keep to the first three generations unless something really tickles my fancy...)

If anyone can tell me about the knife I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks to all.

olderdogs1 · Post by **olderdogs1** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:53 pm

Dutch,
There were a lot of these bulldog toothpick prototypes produced in different handle colors and materials. Most were never put into regular production. The 3rd generation was the 1st time bulldog put a toothpick into regular production. Hukk has several of these toothpick prototypes so I will defer to him being the expert on these. I believe he will comment when he passes by. Nice knife by the way.

Tom

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:58 pm

Yes, Tom is correct they made these in 1993. Production knives have a 1993 date stamp or Surgical Inst. marked on the tang. As far as I know almost all prototypes are carbon steel but do not have a date stamp like the production knives. There were some prototype toothpicks made in 2005, but they have a 2005 date stamp and all protos, 10 natural materials and 10 of each were made, production was celluloid. They also did not have the Longhorn etch.

There was likely 5 each made of 33 celluloids and some natural materials as I have an oddball toothpick in pearl, so I suspect that there are others that are not documented. This concerns the prototypes only. And as Tom mentioned, 1993 was the start of the third generation.

Your knife looks like tortoise celluloid also called tortoise shell celluloid and was made in 93 and is in excellent condition with the Longhorn etch. It will likely book in the $110 to $125 range.

I have a few that I will post a pearl first, 36 Production were made in 93 with Surgical Instrument Steel with a book value of $200, there is no mention of a pearl in carbon steel that I am posting.

And a couple celluloid prototypes that book the same as yours.

Last but not least I have some of the original prototypes made, these match up exactly with the ones pictured on the catalog. As you can see the tangs are not marked and the prototype marking is unique in that it is in print rather than script. I believe they all have COA's.

Please note, it took time and luck to be able to find these knives.

Hukk · Post by **Hukk** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 4:51 pm

You think you have it down, then you run into exceptions.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Bulldog-Brand-Dayto ... dZViewItem

Apparently the Pearl I posted was 1 of 21 made in 2000, the end of the 4th generation and begginning of the 5th generation. This period should have either a standing dog with 2000 or a double dog head. So, these were made with older undated third generation blades. I count 42 DIFFERENT handle materials and 7 of each material.

EXCEPT FOR THE PEARL (21) AND THE ANTIQUE ROGERS BONE (53 AND PRE WWII MATERIAL).

That makes 354 PROTOTYPES and NO production.

Your knife may have been made in 2000 and in fact it is likely. You may want look over the colors, I'm not familiar with most of them, some of these I recognize as being from 1995, others I don't and are likely new in 2000. Looking at the colors, I would say all that I posted came from 2000, not 1993, except the 3 with the blank tangs.

Sorry, but in this hobby, you always keep learning. We got it right now by golly. Not everything is in the books.