Joseph Rodgers Hawksbill & gerlach nierdzewne knife info (Newbie)

[Mootsmcboots]

So I'm new to informed knife collecting (by that I mean I've collected knives for a while, just don't know much about them, just collected what I thought was interesting).

I picked these up at a thrift shop the other day, and thought it'd be nice to actually know a little bit about them.

I know a little about the companies, but was more hoping for rough dates of when they were made, if these were commonly produced knives by these companies etc.
Thanks in advance.

PS Sorry if the pics are bad.

[doglegg]

A very sweet old hawkbill. I think the 2nd name is of a Polish knife co. And welcome to AAPK.

[Steve Warden]

Sorry. I can't help with any info, but glad you're here.
Welcome aboard!

[knife7knut]

A very sweet old hawkbill. I think the 2nd name is of a Polish knife co. And welcome to AAPK.

Gerlach is indeed a Polish knife company.I have a fixed blade with that name on it.

[Corso]

I'd make a guess that the hawkbill is eariler than the 1930's - when they stopped using the no 6 norfolk street stamp

in fact I've only seen that stamp layout on Victorian period knives

[Ripster]

Welcome to AAPK, this is a great place ,with very knowledgeable people and willing to share. Only been a member a few months and learned more here than in my 20 some years of accumulating on my own. Enjoy and be safe.

[Mootsmcboots]

That seems likely actually. Didn't do any knife research, but the owner of the thrift shop said it was donated by her 88 year old neighbour who had his son clean out the garage recently.

She said she'd ask him if he remembers where he got it or anything about it. So I'm hopeful about more info. Specific history of the knife would be super interesting.

[kootenay joe]

The owner's memory is the least reliable way to date a knife. Our memories are not stable, but change a little each time they are recalled. We see this regularly in this forum or any collectible forum.
For example someone proudly posts his Schrade LB7 which he received as a gift upon graduating from high school in 1968. When a Schrade collector politely points out that the first LB7's were made toward the end of 1977 the owner gets miffed that the collector 'does not know what he is talking about'. The owner's memory might be so clear, but it is incorrect.
The history of a knife given by the owner can be very interesting but cannot be relied upon for dating a knife.
kj

[Ripster]

KJ , great advice. And u all enjoy you weekend. JP

[Colonel26]

Welcome aboard. I can't add any more information about the knives, but that old hawkbill is something else! Very nice.

[Mootsmcboots]

So, fun turn. The owner of the thrift shop put me in contact with her older Gentleman who donated it.

He says the knife was purchased by his Father, and that his Father got it from the shop that sharpened his family's kitchen knives for years. He said his father kept all of his tool receipts in a lock box in the garage (something he continued to do after inheriting the house) and that it would be there if he kept it. Said if his son could find the slip I could have it.

I don't know why I feel so inclined to learn about this knife. I've never had a hawkbill but as soon as I saw it I loved it. Plus I'm a sucker for history.

His son who cleaned out the garage said he'd have a look, he said he had come across a box of receipts, most of them hand written bills of sale, but most of them looked really faded and unreadable.

So I'm hopeful to atleast get a year of sale.

[kootenay joe]

If a person has a saved sales receipt, unlike memory, this is good documentation. I have a few older knives with original sales receipt and it really adds to my interest in the knife.
kj