Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

This forum is dedicated to the discussion and display of old knives. The rich history of all the many companies that made them through the early years will be found here as well as many fine examples of the cutlers art. Share pictures of your old knives and your knowledge here!
User avatar
danno50
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 3916
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:05 am
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by danno50 »

Remembered I had this knife which fits the title. Pacific Cutlery Co. Sheffield, circa 1890's, according to Levine. Apologies, it has already been posted in this forum, but it is the only one I have which predates 1900.
I would very much like to see more pre 1900 knives.
Thanks
Dan
Attachments
DSCN0538.JPG
DSCN0540.JPG
Dan
wiseguy
Posts: 1186
Joined: Sun Jul 22, 2012 4:46 pm

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by wiseguy »

circa 1884 Criterion Quality ......automatic 8)
Attachments
KORNSKNIFE001_zps49cef9e9.jpg
User avatar
RobesonsRme.com
Posts: 10129
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:44 pm
Location: The Heart of Dixie.
Contact:

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

Nice Bowie style hunter and that old automatic is just great.

Here are some Robesons, made prior to the move to Perry, New York, in 1900.

Some were imported. Some made after 1891 tariffs by Sherwood and Bingham in Camillus.

First is a little black composition handled penknife marked, FILLMORE / CUTLERY / Co. with GERMANY on the back of the blade.

Second, a large 4 1/4" ebony handled whittler, either imported without country of origin markings or made by Sherwood/Bingham. This knife has PREMIER stamped on the back of all blades. Master is stamed, ROBESON / CUTLERY / Co.

Third is a German made pearl handled physician's or pharmacist's knife with a flexible spatula master blade, pen and cork-screw. Marked ROBESON / CUTLERY / Co. and GERMANY on the back of the master.

Next is a tear drop shaped ebony handled jack, marked ROBESON / CUTLERY Co. / WARRANTED on both blades. This knife was most likely made by Sherwood/Bingham in Camillus.

Charlie Noyes
Attachments
FilmoreCutCoB.jpg
ThreeBlade4B.jpg
ThreeBlade7B.jpg
RobesonWarrantedJack.jpg
DE OPPRESSO LIBER

"...Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons ___but they are helpless against our prayers. "

Sidlow Baxter
User avatar
tjmurphy
Posts: 11129
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:41 pm
Location: South of Cincinnati

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by tjmurphy »

Danno and Charlie, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr8 knives ::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu::

OOPS!! I left WiseGuy out. Great looking hunter WG ::tu:: ::tu::
"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"

God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.
User avatar
Salernoslim
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:31 am
Location: Florida

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by Salernoslim »

Here's a couple I have
Joseph Rodgers whaling knife mid 1800's
Naugatuck cutlery co. 1872-1888
Attachments
image.jpg
Robert
User avatar
edge213
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 8458
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:48 am
Location: The Crossroads of America

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by edge213 »

Does this count? Civil War slot knife. But unfortunately the knife half is missing. Someone a long time ago put a wooden handle where the knife half was. But still not bad for a yard sale find.
Attachments
20140719_162828.jpg
20140719_185619.jpg
David
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
User avatar
Salernoslim
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:31 am
Location: Florida

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by Salernoslim »

Not bad at all for a yard sale David! Very cool
Robert
User avatar
edge213
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 8458
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2014 12:48 am
Location: The Crossroads of America

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by edge213 »

Salernoslim wrote:Not bad at all for a yard sale David! Very cool
Thanks Robert,
I got that plus a Colonial CubHunter for $12.
David
"Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife" Meat Loaf
User avatar
peanut740
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 8123
Joined: Fri Jan 23, 2009 2:32 pm
Location: Ohio, along the river
Contact:

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by peanut740 »

I had posted this knife on another thread, but it fits here.Excelsior Knife Co.1880-84.
Attachments
20140817_222039-1.jpg
20140817_221932-1.jpg
Roger
User avatar
tjmurphy
Posts: 11129
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:41 pm
Location: South of Cincinnati

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by tjmurphy »

Those are Grrrrrrrrrrrr8. That European stag sure is pretty. That Forest King makes me all wet ::woot::
"There are none so blind as those that refuse to see"

God Bless America - Though I don't know why he would want to.
User avatar
philco
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 15542
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 9:32 pm
Location: Kentucky (Wildcat Country)

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by philco »

I had the chance to hold that Forrest King in my grubby mitts over the weekend and I can tell you it is AWESOME!
Phil
AAPK Administrator

Jesus died for you. Are you living for Him?

"Buy More Ammo!"
Johnnie Fain 1949-2009
User avatar
1967redrider
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 21491
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2011 4:23 pm
Location: Alexandria, VA
Contact:

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by 1967redrider »

That's a Holy Grail knife. ::nod::
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!

You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter


CHRIST IS KING
User avatar
dcgm4
Posts: 1962
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:09 am
Location: not there

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by dcgm4 »

Awesome knives, guys! ::tu::

That Excelsior is stunning, peanut! ::drool::

Here are a couple of mine. The first is a Russell jack that dates to the 1870's or 1880's. The second is a big old whittler made by Samuel Jackson of Baltimore. It dates from 1833 to 1874.
Attachments
Russell Green River Works Jack.jpg
Russell Green River Works Jack.jpg (79.91 KiB) Viewed 5549 times
jackson-10.jpg
Dave

Always looking for vintage knives with Virginia, Maryland, or Washington D.C. tang stamps. Any condition.
User avatar
RobesonsRme.com
Posts: 10129
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:44 pm
Location: The Heart of Dixie.
Contact:

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by RobesonsRme.com »

That Excelsior is top of the heap, isn't it? Doesn't get much better than that.
I like that Jackson, too. Rare marque there.
Charlie
DE OPPRESSO LIBER

"...Men may spurn our appeals, reject our message, oppose our arguments, despise our persons ___but they are helpless against our prayers. "

Sidlow Baxter
User avatar
tongueriver
Posts: 7239
Joined: Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:01 pm

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by tongueriver »

Wow! Some great and very interesting pieces here! Thanks to all! Here is my only really old one although I do have a couple kitchen-oriented knives that are probably 1890s. This bread knife stamping dates from 1825 to 1852, according to Goins. The boxwood handle is carved into a wheat motif. I have seen this before, so it was possibly not rare.
Sheffield bread knife001.jpg
Sheffield bread knife002.jpg
User avatar
danno50
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 3916
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:05 am
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by danno50 »

Wow, great response and some really nice knives. very nice automatic hunter, wiseguy. Charlie, great showing, as always. Salernoslim, great pair. edge213, I would say that half of a civil war slot knife definitely counts, if is half more than I have. Peanut, that Excelsior is superlative. dcgm4, really like that Russel, nice bone. tongueriver, very nice old breadknife.
Dan
Dan
User avatar
Salernoslim
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:31 am
Location: Florida

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by Salernoslim »

A great thread Danno. I hope it keeps going and we get to some more oldies. Wish I had to more to add.
Robert
User avatar
Lawrence
Posts: 512
Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 6:53 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by Lawrence »

Here's an old Sheffield knife made by Robert Marples. I was doing some research and lucked out to find a site on the Marples family history/family tree. I contacted the author and this is what he said...

"The beehive logo is the trade mark of Robert Marples & Co. Robert was a distant cousin of Thomas Marples, the silver fruit knife maker.
Thank you for your kind remarks about my website.
Kind regards
Rodney Marples"

I also contacted one of the cousins who currently owns a Marples tool making company and this is what he said...

"As far as I am aware, our company never made knives, many of the other Marples' have ( seven in the 1860's).
'Beehive' works is still in existance, along with the adjacent 'Taylor's Eye Witness' works, both on Milton Street, Sheffield. In fact, we use one of the last remaining 'Little Mesters' to do our grinding, and he is at Beehive Works. The factory, it seems, started in the 1860's ( a quick 'Google' will return the details). Few manufacturers in those days actually made all the constituent parts for their products, relying on the Little Mesters to do, in particular, blade making/grinding. I would guess that the blade was made by a seperate company at the Beehive works, with whichever Marples over stamping his name on the blade, and only attaching the scales & springs etc. himself.
Regards,
Tony Marples"

...I love this stuff...cheers
Attachments
012.JPG
014.JPG
031.JPG
User avatar
dirtyfonzie
Posts: 211
Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:01 pm

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by dirtyfonzie »

Found this Sunday morning. Needs a little work, but I couldn't leave it there all alone!
Attachments
image.jpg
image.jpg
User avatar
orvet
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 19901
Joined: Tue May 16, 2006 6:23 am
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by orvet »

Here is a Barber Bros made around 1900, give or take a few years. It is rough.
What interested me was the scratting on the bone handles and the tang stamp.

I showed it to Bernard Levine at one of our club meetings and he dated it for me.
He said it was probably made in Germany.

Barber Bros a.jpg
Barber Bros b.jpg
Barber Bros d.jpg
Barber Bros d.jpg (41.79 KiB) Viewed 4578 times
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
User avatar
danno50
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 3916
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:05 am
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by danno50 »

Lawrence, fonzie and Dale, some more nice ones.

Dan
Dan
User avatar
Salernoslim
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:31 am
Location: Florida

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by Salernoslim »

Great knives indeed! ::tu:: keep em comin!
Robert
User avatar
dcgm4
Posts: 1962
Joined: Thu Aug 14, 2008 3:09 am
Location: not there

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by dcgm4 »

Here's an Albert & Meyer ebony jack with enclosed backsprings to keep this thread alive. From what I've been able to find it dates from 1888 to 1892.
Attachments
Albert & Meyer Jack.JPG
Albert & Meyer Jack2.JPG
Dave

Always looking for vintage knives with Virginia, Maryland, or Washington D.C. tang stamps. Any condition.
User avatar
danno50
Gold Tier
Gold Tier
Posts: 3916
Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:05 am
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by danno50 »

Nice old ebony jack, Dave. I like the screws holding the handles on. I wonder if it is possible that Miller Bros made that knife for Albert and Meyer? I don't really understand how the covered back springs function? There is no centre pin in evidence?
Dan
Dan
User avatar
Salernoslim
Posts: 623
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 9:31 am
Location: Florida

Re: Have Any Knives Made Before 1900

Post by Salernoslim »

Sweet old jack Dave! ::drool:: what's the blade etch say?
Robert
Post Reply

Return to “Knife Lore - Traditional Knives From the Old Days”