Cutlery Catalog Images

[wlf]

By the way that book has several catalogs in it,and the Norvell Shapleigh section has 155 pgs.

[RobesonsRme.com]

Engravers created the plates, using a knife as a model, so, of course, errors and artistic license are concerns.

Actual photographic images are better, as they show the bone that was actually on a knife of the time.

I didn't mean to leave the impression I thought old catalogs are a perfect reference. They are not. But, I suspect they are better, in most respects, than anything fifty or a hundred years removed from the time of actual manufacture.

Charlie

[peanut740]

I agree 100% with what's been said. I have 15 or 16 original Maher & Grosh catalogs and 4 or 5 reprints.It is very interesting to see the changes in them from the 1890's to 1973. (That is the range I have).Also what they cost.In one of the early catalogs you could get 1 dozen 1 blade metal handle boys knife for 42 cents.48 if you wanted them shipped.

[peanut740]

I agree 100% with what's been said. I have 15 or 16 original Maher & Grosh catalogs and 4 or 5 reprints.It is very interesting to see the changes in them from the 1890's to 1973. (That is the range I have).Also what they cost.In one of the early catalogs you could get 1 dozen 1 blade metal handle boys knife for 42 cents.48 if you wanted them shipped.

[Beechtree]

I concur. Collective data increases our ability to recognize overall trends and patterns. Here are is a W. Bingham Co. (Catalog 37, Cleveland, OH) from the mid 1930s. It displays Winchesters and quite a few assortment types common during the depression. The last page has an interesting add for Shipley's Cutlery Ink, which you find on the back of salesmen sample knives.
Peanut, your collection sounds fantastic. I would love to see some of your earlier Maher & Grosh if at all possible. They have some of the most exciting etchings and advertising.

[orvet]

That is why I own just about every catalog reprint that has been published and why we should endeavor to preserve and publish all the rest, even if it's just here in this thread, which should be made a "sticky". There is a similar thread on BladeForums.

Charlie, you and I have quite similar philosophies on preserving catalogs/cutlery history.
I spend more on catalogs than knives sometimes.

I agree that this thread needs to be a sticky for now. Maybe some day we can get Bryan to set up a section for catalog copies in the Knife Research Section.

[danno50]

I found Simmons catalogs dating to 1912 and 1939 on the internet. Downloaded them as pdf's, but took me awhile to figure out how to change them to jpeg's to post here. Figured it out and am going to post a few pages as a test. These are the introductory pages to the cutlerly section of the 1912 catalog.

[danno50]

Here are a few more pages from 1912. Will work on getting the rest posted. These are the last of the introductory pages, the knives come next.
Dan

[danno50]

Some more from the 1912 catalog.
Dan

[danno50]

Here are the rest of the knife pages from the 1912 Simmons catalog. The catalog is 168 pages long, these were all of the pages with knife related items on them.
Dan

[danno50]

The Keen Kutter catalog scans posted above all come from a website "www.blackburntools.com". They were originally scanned by Rose Allen of Rose Tools. Their website has been taken down and the catalog scans are now hosted on the blackburn tools website. The catalog scans are under the Articles tab on the home page of the website. There are catalog scans of many hardware companies besides Simmons (Bellknap, Shapleigh to name a couple I can remember right now).
I went to the website to get the reference prior to posting the 1939 catalog scans, and decided maybe I should email the website and see if they were OK with me posting them. The website primarily sells vintage tools.
I will post the 1939 catalog scans once I hear back from the website.
Dan

[danno50]

Just got an email from the owner of http://www.blackburntools.com giving me the go ahead to post the catalog scans from his website. He sells new and vintage woodworking tools on his site. This post and the three following have the pages with knives from the 1939 Simmons catalog scan.
Dan

[danno50]

Some more

[danno50]

Some more

[danno50]

and the last of the 1939 catalog scans

[wlf]

Thanks Dan and Bt for starting this thread.

It takes a lot of time and effort to post these cuts, I appreciate it,even when they don't list a single spring double ended jack ,with a pruning blade. I grin.

[Beechtree]

Thanks Dan, those are great! Amongst the first batch, the top bolster on the crown jack is really fancy. Thats a pretty and rare pattern. There is a lot to look at in the second batch, Wowzers. I appreciate the website operator giving the go ahead and I appreciate your initiative to get these posted.

Here is a few more from the 1914 Richards Conover catalog. All likely Ulster made.

[wlf]

Thanks Dan, those are great! Amongst the first batch, the top bolster on the crown jack is really fancy. Thats a pretty and rare pattern. There is a lot to look at in the second batch, Wowzers. I appreciate the website operator giving the go ahead and I appreciate your initiative to get these posted.

Here is a few more from the 1914 Richards Conover catalog. All likely Ulster made.

What was your reasoning as Ulster made,you know I'd have to agree. Grinning

[Beechtree]

Well, you called it with the comparison to your Ulster farmers jack.
Often when old companies presented their brand of knives in a catalog (this one being a salesman catalog) you could get the house brand or the manufacturers brand (along with other imported brands or common brands such as Russell barrows). Also used, as in this case, the house brand would make up most of the listing with just a token listing by the manufacturer. In this catalog, they offer a short section of Ulster and I would therefore surmise that the rest are also Ulster make. While this is not always the case, I would think it is in this instance.

[wlf]

Me too.
Here is an example of how beneficial catalog cuts are. Assuming the Rich Con is an Ulster,to which Bt seems to agree.First this 1884 HSB catalog shows they contracted some knives from Ulster. 1884 is the date ,and comparing Ulster farmers jacks I have shows the progression of their jigging patterns and helps me date these knives reasonably well.

The HSB shows a very early form of jigging (1884). The Rich Con shows an early form of typical jigging with many manufacturers,albeit early (1914) and Ulster's own style.

1. Matches the cut in the 1884 HSB catalog closely:

2. Shows the more intricate form of the same style jigging. Seems reasonable to say it dates somewhere between the 1884 and the 1914 Rich Con

3.Seems a little later based upon the jigging,for lack of a better analogy, less pick bone and more intricate than the Rich Con Ulster (I believe) cut. Probably a little later c 1920 .

[wlf]

These last 2 show similar jigging,and helps me approximately guess the ages of them.

A cut in an 1890 catalog showing Southington farmers jack also.

1. A Holley I bought especially because of the jigging. Might be the earliest form of this style I have. All these early ones exhibit a faded less dyed bone also. c 1880s or earlier ?.

2.Southington which seems close to the 1884's style. Notice all these makers were manufacturing knives 1876 or before,with Ulster being Ellenville Co Op previously.

[danno50]

Beechtree and Lyle, thanks for the kind words. I just looked back through this thread and count 7 or 8 other members who have also posted some great catalog pages. Lyle, Sellens book lists a farmers jack made by Keen Kutter between 1905 and 1920, too bad it wasn't listed in the 1912 catalog. I like the way you insert photos of your knives to illustrate the points you are making. Here are the fixed blade knives from the 1939 Simmons catalog. When I get a bit more time I will post the knife pages from the 1959 Shapeleigh catalog.
Dan

[wlf]

When I get a bit more time I will post the knife pages from the 1959 Shapeleigh catalog.
Dan

It takes time Dan, and I appreciate yours. I have the Sellens book and a well used Keen Kutter farmers jack. Thanks

[danno50]

Thanks again, Lyle. I do (now after the reminder) remember when you first got the Keen Kutter and posted it.
Dan

[danno50]

This page and the ones following are the catalog pages with knives from the 1959 Shapeleigh catalog.
Dan