Knife & Cutlery Ephemera

[RobesonsRme.com]

A somewhat more tonsorially artistic and industrious barber would have made the guy straddling and squatting over the nape of your neck and holding onto both your ears.

That way everyone looking from the back or from either side could appreciate what you were attempting to convey.

Feel free to use that the next time you're drunk enough to have sort of thing done.

Charlie Noyes

[cato]

found this link for A.J. JORDAN KNIVES CATALOG POST HERE BUT IF SOMEONE CAN PUT IT IN BETTER PLACE. ENJOY


https://archive.org/details/catalog00ajjo

[peanut740]

I thought I'd revive this old thread.Last weekend at the Wilmington knife show we set up a Maher & Grosh display with a lot of old catalogs,boxes,post cards,trade cards,book marks,invoices and some knives.

[btrwtr]

Fantastic display Roger!

Thanks for sharing. Sorry I wasn't there to see it in person.

[peanut740]

Thanks Wayne.We plan on doing it some more.

[LongBlade]

Very cool display Roger ... lots of interesting M&G ephemera!!

I have been wanting to show this piece of ephemera which I think is fairly unique and now that this thread was revived I figured this would be a good time to show it… I am pretty particular about buying ephemera and it is not something I go after aggressively but no doubt when the occasion and associated prices are right I go for certain pieces… Nonetheless I have seen all different pieces of ephemera over time including catalogs, boxes, invoices etc but have not any bank checks from an old cutlery as a payment (though I am sure they are out there I just haven’t seen any in all sources I have seen)…

This is an interesting original bank check from H&B Mfg Co New Britain with a nice H&B bank letterhead that was written in 1870 and notably signed by the treasurer at the time Virgil P. Humason who became treasurer of H&B in 1866 (son of William L. Humason who started the company and who later after his father's death took over the company) – yes that is VP Humason’s original signature on the check … The check even had the revenue stamp canceled on it (something that was done in early banking and I believe was associated with tax payments). I have been trying to explore to whom it was written etc… AP Collins was no doubt a lawyer in New Britain CT and was heavily involved as well in New Britain politics. Following incorporation of New Britain CT as a city in 1870 AP Collins was voted in as part of City Council as Treasurer in 1871 when the first Mayor was elected Frederick T Stanley (yes the same person that started Stanley Tools)... so the check written in 1870 by H&B to him was prior to AP Collins being treasurer of the City Council in CT from what I can gather from background... The check was for $40.56 and in 1870 that was a fair amount of money but I do not know what the check was written for at that time... maybe the back of check where it was endorsed by multiple people in NYC is a clue and I will investigate further (though it may be bank oriented info)... perhaps at that time checks needed an lawyer/esquirer and cashier as was listed on check... but in the left bottom the check was written to what I think says - GF Seaz (or is it Leaz – I have trouble reading proper handwriting from the old days) Orville, Ohio and handwritten in pencil next to it is Wayne Co - the next avenue to explore !!! I have not found a clue as the connection to the individual in Ohio. So I am still investigating… and if anybody has any clues please let me know

[Quick Steel]

That is quite an investigation you are conducting. Best of luck with it.

[LongBlade]

Thanks Quick Steel .... just thought it may be interesting to figure out what the check was written for and associated names on the check.... who knows what little piece of trivia may be revealed or not

[btrwtr]

Cool piece of H&B history. Thanks for posting Lee!

[steve99f]

Interesting piece of history LB. I would be interested in knowing what you might find out.

[peanut740]

Orrville Ohio is in Wayne County. Orrville is the headquarters for J M Smuckers. Also the boyhood home of Bobby Knight.

[FRJ]

What a neat document that is, Lee.
Great informative post.
Hope you're doing well.

[Mason]

I thought I'd revive this old thread.Last weekend at the Wilmington knife show we set up a Maher & Grosh display with a lot of old catalogs,boxes,post cards,trade cards,book marks,invoices and some knives.

That is an absolutely wonderful display!!! And so nice that you can share with and inspire others with this collection.
I love the old M&G catalogs and have been collecting them for years.

[Mason]

Very cool display Roger ... lots of interesting M&G ephemera!!

I have been wanting to show this piece of ephemera which I think is fairly unique and now that this thread was revived I figured this would be a good time to show it… I am pretty particular about buying ephemera and it is not something I go after aggressively but no doubt when the occasion and associated prices are right I go for certain pieces… Nonetheless I have seen all different pieces of ephemera over time including catalogs, boxes, invoices etc but have not any bank checks from an old cutlery as a payment (though I am sure they are out there I just haven’t seen any in all sources I have seen)…

This is an interesting original bank check from H&B Mfg Co New Britain with a nice H&B bank letterhead that was written in 1870 and notably signed by the treasurer at the time Virgil P. Humason who became treasurer of H&B in 1866 (son of William L. Humason who started the company and who later after his father's death took over the company) – yes that is VP Humason’s original signature on the check … The check even had the revenue stamp canceled on it (something that was done in early banking and I believe was associated with tax payments). I have been trying to explore to whom it was written etc… AP Collins was no doubt a lawyer in New Britain CT and was heavily involved as well in New Britain politics. Following incorporation of New Britain CT as a city in 1870 AP Collins was voted in as part of City Council as Treasurer in 1871 when the first Mayor was elected Frederick T Stanley (yes the same person that started Stanley Tools)... so the check written in 1870 by H&B to him was prior to AP Collins being treasurer of the City Council in CT from what I can gather from background... The check was for $40.56 and in 1870 that was a fair amount of money but I do not know what the check was written for at that time... maybe the back of check where it was endorsed by multiple people in NYC is a clue and I will investigate further (though it may be bank oriented info)... perhaps at that time checks needed an lawyer/esquirer and cashier as was listed on check... but in the left bottom the check was written to what I think says - GF Seaz (or is it Leaz – I have trouble reading proper handwriting from the old days) Orville, Ohio and handwritten in pencil next to it is Wayne Co - the next avenue to explore !!! I have not found a clue as the connection to the individual in Ohio. So I am still investigating… and if anybody has any clues please let me know

H&B Check - Front.jpeg

H&B Check - Back.jpeg

What a great piece of paperwork!!!
I will love to hear what more you discover with this puzzle.

[philco]

Excellent display Roger.

I hope to see it in person in the not too distant future.

[LongBlade]

Thanks all ... I'll let you know what else I find if anything... considering sending a copy of it to the Orville OH Historical Society and see if they have any clues as to who or what GF Seaz (Still not sure of the first letter in that script) may have been involved in during that time period. Orville was indeed a small town at that time period (maybe a popl of 500) and did find a map online from 1873 of the town with some interesting facts about it but at the same time I found their historical society who may hopefully be of some help...

[Chase]

Roger,

Love the Maher & Grosh displays! Great to see you posting the pictures of them and good to see the two new/revived knives in there as well.

Looking forward to the next offering!

Tom

[peanut740]

Thanks Tom,We are planning to have the display set we at the Parker Show in December. We are also waiting on our manufacturer to give us an estimate of delivery time on our next pattern.

[Beechtree]

Wonderful Display Roger! Fantastic range of pieces you have there.

LongBlade, great job researching your bank check. You have bought forth an interesting story from the past, thanks.

[Mumbleypeg]

While searching for a knife book yesterday I opened a drawer in my office desk. Way in the back were a couple of manila folders. I pulled them out and opened them, and to my pleasant surprise they were full of knife ephemera I had nojt seen in years and in fact forgot I even had. Most of it dates to early to mid 1970s.

Hope you enjoy, and find it interesting and educational. There's a lot of this stuff so if y'all are interested, I'll try to take better pictures and post it as I sort through it.

Ken

First up a March 1972 list of knives and related items offered for sale by James Parker. Long before the days of the Internet, these were typed with a typewriter (you can see the occasional over strikes), addressed, stuffed into envelopes and mailed. Typically 3 to 4 single spaced pages, no pictures, just brief descriptions. It's interesting to see what was available, and especially the prices from the time. As best I recall, Parker mailed out 8 to 10 of these "catalogs" yearly. Looks like I have several years worth!

Also there was typically a paragraph or two of Parker's commentary regarding knife collecting. The second paragraph of this one is regarding attempted formation of a knife collecting association, which soon became the National Knife Collectors & Dealers Association (NKC&DA), which later evolved into the now-defunct NKCA. Click the picture to enlarge. Maybe not easiest to read but I think you can make out most of it.

Next, a letter from Dewey Ferguson announcing his latest price guide, "modestly priced at $5.00 per copy". This was in the original envelop, postmarked 14 Feb 1973. Note his references to the terms "Green Bone, "Red Bone, and "Rough Black".

Flyers advertising upcoming NKC&DA shows. These were from 1973.

[Tsar Bomba]

That's some great stuff, Ken, thanks for sharing!

I guess we have one more data point that anywhere Jim Parker's name shows up, it's usually the biggest name on the page.

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks Tony.

Here's another Parker price list, and the original bylaws of the NKC&DA.

Ken

[galvanic1882]

Reviving this thread with some cool Henry Sears & Son unused labels. They had some great ones and these are ones I’ve never seen before!

[doglegg]

What a novel bunch of advertising. Those would look good framed as a group.

[BWT]

Thanks Mike for sharing those, I enjoyed them