Knife found. Need Appraisal.

[eveled]

Neat knife. OP

Great post Ton!

[just bob]

I found this and it might add to the idea that the knife is stamped n/s? I am only guessing and have no insight on this but see the knife as being for traveling, maybe on a ship -maritime or nautical theme - and it has all the tools one would need to use in an emergency. Maybe a traveler from Germany to an event like the Columbian Exposition in 1893, St. Louis World's Fair 1904, or Pan American Exposition in 1901. It even has a compass if you get lost in a strange land and a loupe for reading. Seems like the symbols are saying "safe traveling until you return "? It is too light duty to be a sportsman's knife - you wouldn't process a deer with something this light duty. There were many adequate sporting knives in use by 1900. Wouldn't we love to see clear pics. This is a really neat knife. Would be worth paying the fee Bernard Levine charges to get an accurate assessment.

[deo-pa]

Very enjoyable symbol interpretation post Tom! Regarding the last letters after My Homeland, isn’t the three letter combination “sea” uncommon in German?

Given the knife’s nautical theme I might argue that those last letters begin with “see” (German for sea / ocean). Something like “Seevolk” meaning “seafaring nation” or “seafaring people.” So the translation would perhaps be something like “My Homeland... a Seafaring Nation.”

Granted, when I look at the visible remnants of those last letters I can see the “See” but not really the “volk.” Would any other “See...” words make sense?

Dennis

[Mumbleypeg]

Thanks Tom, and thanks also to your wife for her help. Vielen Dank!

Per your request here are the pictures I sent to you via PM. They’re just enlarged versions of others in this thread.

Ken

[TPK]

Very enjoyable symbol interpretation post Tom! Regarding the last letters after My Homeland, isn’t the three letter combination “sea” uncommon in German?

Given the knife’s nautical theme I might argue that those last letters begin with “see” (German for sea / ocean). Something like “Seevolk” meaning “seafaring nation” or “seafaring people.” So the translation would perhaps be something like “My Homeland... a Seafaring Nation.”

Granted, when I look at the visible remnants of those last letters I can see the “See” but not really the “volk.” Would any other “See...” words make sense?

Dennis

I couldn't come up with anything fitting for these letters Dennis.

[just bob]

The lady or Goddess may be the statute of hope. Typically shown holding an anchor.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Hope

[Mumbleypeg]

Maybe a stretch, but might it possibly be Sagan? Bob’s post led me down a path that took me to Princess Wilhelmine, Duchess of Sagan. I got there by following his lead of a statue of The Goddess of Hope. There is supposedly a similar statue by sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen of Princess Wilhemine in a museum in Dresden, Germany today, but I was not able to find any pictures of it other than just the head. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_ ... s_of_Sagan Sagan (German spelling of the name) was part of Germany from 1840’s until post-WWII at which time it became part of Poland, and now spelled “Zagan”.

May be a wild goose chase.

Ken

[kootenay joe]

I have spent a good portion of my adult life collecting vintage German pocket knives and i have never seen one like this. Never seen piece of handle that swings out or a compass on a vintage German knife.
If Gunsil and others here say "stamped aluminum" that is what the handles are. Same for brass. No point in arguing because they are correct.
Stamped handles that tell a story or have a theme are very commonly seen with old German knives. As already stated they were made for special events, monuments etc. but they were also made just for people to buy at the local cutlery store or in a ship's gift shop, etc.
There is nothing that connects this knife with a world's fair so no enhancement of value there.
This knife will appeal to those who like unusual knives, which is a small sub-set of knife collecting. Very few people in USA are dedicated collectors of German cutlery even though there is a great deal of vintage German cutlery in USA.
I am sure there is a third name underneath "Friedrich/Wilhelm" but knowing the name on the tang is of academic interest only. All German knife manufacturers were able to make high quality knives and low quality knives. They needed to make a range of price points to stay in business.
So my amateur assessment is: interesting and unusual vintage German knife (1880-1920) of mid range quality that might or might not have a broken off blade that might sell for $50-$75.
Most people who are new to knife collecting think a 100 or more year old knife must be worth something, but most aren't There are millions of old knives 'out there' and only a select few have much value.
kj

[StoneEB1987]

Thank you everyone for such thoughtful replies. Sometimes I argue just for the sake of argument. (Stamped aluminum). Especially when I'm ignorant about a particular subject. I do this for several reasons. Sometimes because I'm second guessing myself. Other times to make someone else second guess themselves and go check their own work. Either way I usually get the answer I'm looking for which is the correct one.

[kootenay joe]

Basically it is a most unusual and very interesting vintage German knife, which could be 100 yrs or more old. Despite all this, it does not have a high monetary value which seems 'unfair' for such a neat old knife, but is just how things are in the knife collecting world.
kj