Wisdom of the crowd re:H. BOKER

[MT-Vessel]

I found an oldie that clearly lived a busy working life, but is now enjoying a retired lifestyle on my display shelf. It has a four line tang stamp:
H. BOKER & CO’S
IMPROVED
CUTLERY
GERMANY
A 4” three blade stockman: Clip, Sheep Foot and a something (?) All blades have a Boker tree on the reverse. Trees are similar to an early 1900’s version (?) Age (?) Sadly, the main blade has no snap most likely due to a worn tang. It has a pinned shield, match strike nail mark, brass scales and covers made of unknownium....
Thanks in advance for any and all information about this knife.

[americanedgetech]

I'll attach what I have for charts, and let you deceide but my input is the stamp is between 1869, and 1910 for the German made knives (1869-1920) for the American made.
I can't see your tree very well but that looks like the 1869-1900 tree to me.

So from MY house it appears to be a pre1901 knife with bone handles, and a nice looking clip blade.

Wait for the real pro's to fill you in better.

[MT-Vessel]

Cropped to show trees. Tough to tell age as trees on these blades look different... click photo for enlarged view.

[americanedgetech]

The stamps have different depths but I think they are the same tree.
You really need to see the right side of the tree which I can not make out on the front blade (blade closest in the image),

Edit:
On the 1869-1900 tree there is a nub on the Rt side just at the base of the lowest branch. That should be on both blades.

[thegreedygulo]

Nice old Boker. That particular tang stamp was used from 1869 - 1914 (per Goins 4th edition), but since your knife has Germany stamped on the tang, it was made post 1891 (steel tariff). The knife's other blade is a spey blade and its handles are bone. Hope this helps.

[MT-Vessel]

Gave up on SLR and took these with iPad....

[americanedgetech]

That is better.
What I am NOT seeing is the "Tree Brand" logo under or on the sides of your tree. I thought I did on the first image but it looks like wear on this image.

This is where you need an experienced fella(s) to come along and help.
The charts I posted are what I have, and they appear to conflict. You're still in that turn of the century ball park but how close is what I can't help more with.

[peanut740]

Thegreedygulo is THE expert on this forum on old Bokers.You can take what he says to the bank.

[rangerbluedog]

Nice old Boker. That particular tang stamp was used from 1869 - 1914 (per Goins 4th edition), but since your knife has Germany stamped on the tang, it was made post 1891 (steel tariff). The knife's other blade is a spey blade and its handles are bone. Hope this helps.

I agree with Greedy Gulo on the date, circa 1891-1910. A 20 year range is probably as close as you're gonna get. I've never had much luck trying to nail down a date on an old Boker going only by the tree. You just have to look at several different clues. GENERALLY speaking, with the TREE stamped on the reverse, and secondary blades, we can be relatively certain that the knife is pre-WW2. The chart posted by Americanedgetech is excellent, and was created by Mark Zalesky of KNIFE magazine fame. Since that article was published around 2009 it has been the go-to resource for dating old Boker knives. Look closely at the notes in the middle of that chart and it states that GERMANY stamped anywhere on the knife indicates a Solingen manufacture date after 1891 (due to the U.S. tariff act).
If that knife is 3 7/8" to 4" closed length it is probably a 6066 pattern. Boker made that pattern almost continuously in Solingen (except during/immediately after WW2) up until the mid 1970s!
The handle is either stag or more likely "stagged bone". Here is a picture from a 1910 knife catalog. Yours probably had a PREMIUM STOCK KNIFE blade etch like this on it when it was new.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

That's a cool knife, the germans really know how to make a good looking stock knife.

[MT-Vessel]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. The dates mentioned confirmed my research. The information about the handles, blade shape and especially the model number is much appreciated.

Slowly progressing along the learning curve.
Thanks

[jerryd6818]

Welcome to AAPK. Stick around. Personally, I learn something new almost every day here.

[wlf]

Thegreedygulo is THE expert on this forum on old Bokers.You can take what he says to the bank.

What Roger said.

That bone jigging seems indicative of pre WWI or earlier too.