Original Tidax, Gebr. Stamm, Bristol Line....

[GaryBon]

German Knife Question...

I have a lobster knife with a tang stamp of GEBR. STAMM over GERMANY on one side and ORIGINAL TIDAX on the other. I've researched and found Gebr. Stamm Stahlwarkenfabrik is a company that dates to 1906 and is still in business today. The Stamm family have apparently been making cutlery around Solingen since 1640.

Does anyone know if ORIGINAL TIDAX was one of their brand lines or is it something else? What's confusing is that I have found identical knives that have Original Tidax stamped on them but with BRISTOL LINE GERMANY as the company. Also saw one that said it was made by JAMIN INT. CO..

Unfortunately Goins has very little information. Can anyone shed some light on these companies and/or brands?

[OLDE CUTLER]

It would be very useful to see a picture or better yet several pictures of the knife.

[danno50]

According to Anthony Carter's "German Knife and Sword Maker", TIDAX was a brand name for Gebruder Stamm of Dusseldorf. He was a merchant with no direct connection to the Solingen based knifemakers by the name of Stamm. He sold pocket knives with ORIGINAL TIDAX on one side of the blades and GEBR. STAMM TIDAX DUSSELDORF. A lobster has a small tang so this was probably shortened to GEBR. STAMM. Carter says the knives were undoubtedly made in Solingen, however, differences in construction among the knives suggest that they were made by several suppliers.
Carter has no information on either BRISTOL LINE or JAMIN INT.
As OLDE CUTLER has suggested, pictures would be nice. We like pictures.

[danno50]

Also, to AAPK!

[Greenman]

According to Anthony Carter's "German Knife and Sword Maker", TIDAX was a brand name for Gebruder Stamm of Dusseldorf. He was a merchant with no direct connection to the Solingen based knifemakers by the name of Stamm. He sold pocket knives with ORIGINAL TIDAX on one side of the blades and GEBR. STAMM TIDAX DUSSELDORF. A lobster has a small tang so this was probably shortened to GEBR. STAMM. Carter says the knives were undoubtedly made in Solingen, however, differences in construction among the knives suggest that they were made by several suppliers.
Carter has no information on either BRISTOL LINE or JAMIN INT.
As OLDE CUTLER has suggested, pictures would be nice. We like pictures.

“Gebrüder Stamm” = “Stamm Brothers”

.

[GaryBon]

I have not been able to successfully post a picture on this site. I'm used to the drag and drop world of Mac. But here goes another shot.

[knife7knut]

Looks like a typical advertising knife made in Germany and elsewhere in the 1950's on up.They are characterized by the lack of liners under the handles(making them a bit fragile to use)Handles look to be faux pearl with the Libby's logo either cast in or hot stamped. Blades look to be knife;manicure;scissors(return spring broken)and possibly a screwdriver. I would NOT use the screwdriver as any twisting action on it would likely cause the handles to break.
Not a particularly valuable item but there are collectors out there who do collect advertising knives. I have a pretty sizable accumulation of them but don't actively look for them.

[GaryBon]

Thank you for all the information. I know it's not very valuable but I was interested in its back story and sorting out the markings. I actually found more identical knives with Bristol Line Germany along with Original Tidax than with GS markings. Company name sounds British but can't find any history.