Bastian Brothers, Rochester, New York

[RobesonsRme.com]

When I first started collecting Robeson knives and attending knife shows back in the very late 1980's, I was handed a knife by Ms. Cindy Taylor, who wanted to know if I thought it had been made by The Robeson Cutlery Company.

For the life of me, I cannot recall what the knife looked like, what kind of pattern it was or from what its handles were made.

I only recall the knife was tang stamped, BASTIAN BROS. CO. / ROCHESTER, NEW YORK (possibly "N.Y.")

Cindy's question was prompted, I think, simply by the "Rochester" locale.

I couldn't answer her question as I had not really looked at enough Robeson knives at that early date to make a supposition.

In March of last year, a Bastian Brothers knife was posted to AAPK. Miller Bros opined it was Robeson made and I agreed.

Now, I've came across this similar Bastian Brothers knife on Ebay last week. This Safety Award knife is a fairly common Robeson pattern.

I don't know who or what Bastian Brothers Company were, but Robeson certainly made this knife for them.

I think they were ID'd last year as a Rochester jeweler.

In all the years since Cindy showed me that first knife, this is only the third or fourth Bastian Brothers knife I've seen.

Charlie Noyes

[btrwtr]

Very cool find with great history. I've seen plenty of that pattern with Robeson stamps but that certainly is a first. I will have to look closer when I see that pattern in the future.

I believe this is the Bastion Bros. Co. your knife was made for. Sure sounds right.

http://www.bastiancompany.com/about.shtml

[Miller Bro's]

Charlie, I have seen knives with the Bastian Brothers mark, all of them metal handle advertising knives.

I have one that is an ink eraser, it looks like a folding knife but is a fixed blade, kind of unusual.

[RobesonsRme.com]

It's highly possible the knife Cindy Taylor showed me was just like these Safety Award knives; I just simply cannot remember.

I think I did not find the question very intriguing at the time.

Charlie

[Bret888]

Here is another one of these Charlie.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-Good-Roads ... 2c77beb57b

[RobesonsRme.com]

Brett, thanks. I've never seen that one before.

Charlie

[Miller Bro's]

I found a picture of the knife I have, the tang is marked Bastian Brothers.

[RobesonsRme.com]

Interesting knife, Dimitri. Is there a built-in clevis?

I don't know if Robeson made that one or the one Brett posted, as they are not typical Robeson patterns, but both companies were located in Rochester and had a known working relationship, so it makes sense.

Bastian Bros. were makers/providers of a wide variety of advertising and commemorative items.

I recently bought an old, circa 1950, pocket watch and spent some time on Ebay looking for an appropriate fob for it. Alot of the fobs were Bastian Bros. products.

Charlie

[Miller Bro's]

Charlie, there is no clevis, the blade is fixed and it is constructed just like most hunting knives. The cast handles are riveted to the thru tang.

Very unusual so I had to have it. I believe Robeson could have easily made this for them, though I have absolutely no proof they did so.

[RobesonsRme.com]

The reason I asked about the clevis is it looks as though there is a perforation through the handle at the butt end. Probably a reflection, I guess.

Given what I recently observed of Bastian Bros while looking at about 10,000 watch fobs, I'd surmise they produced the handles and provided them to Robeson for use in knife construction.

Charlie

[Miller Bro's]

That is a very good possibility. If you get a chance post a picture of the watch fob.

[RobesonsRme.com]

I went to Ebay and did a search for, "Bastian Bros Watch Fob" and got twenty-five matches just in the "Watches" category. There are probably more in the "Jewelry" section.

I copied photos of the ones I thought interesting.

The photos are in pairs; front and back.

Some of these little doodads sell for hundreds of dollars. Apparently, there is a very active group of collectors after these things. There are collector's books available.

I suspect just about every male oriented company in America offered these at one time.

These were produced, of course, by many different manufacturers, including Bastian Bros., Whitehead & Hoag, among others.

I'd love to find one from Robeson, and don't think I didn't look for one.

Charlie

[RobesonsRme.com]

A few more:

[RobesonsRme.com]

This post was useless information.
Deleted by me.

[Miller Bro's]

Those are awesome fob`s thanks for posting them!

[RobesonsRme.com]

While searching Google for Bastian Bros images and/or information, I noticed they also produced some "Ruptured Duck" pins.

I'll have to check my Dad's and see if their name is on it.

They have produced a wealth of political buttons and pins, going way back.

If you do a Google Image search for "Bastian Brothers Knife", you get some interesting results.

Charlie

[Miller Bro's]

Some of these little doodads sell for hundreds of dollars. Apparently, there is a very active group of collectors after these things. There are collector's books available.

I collected them at one time in my teens, I still have them somewhere

I do have a price guide on them as well in my library, I will have to look for the book and see if it has any information about the company.