Wm Frankfurth Hdwe co. U and Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ?

[winchester907]

I have to share these two knives I just got with a couple questions. How old do you think the Wm Frankfurth Hdwe co. U is and the handles on these are really unique. When you look at them in the light they seem to move with motion. Like a waterfall but solid celluloid? I never seen anything like them. 1911?
The Hibbard Spencer Bartlett Revonoc is close to mint. Ive never had one that nice. The unusual part is that the graphics on the knife say Special 75 Cents. Valuable? 1900? Any information you might have will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[PA Knives]

HI!

Nice, very nice, the handle on the hardware store knife is what is known as "waterfall" for obvious reasons that you noted. The seem to have motion to them. The slanted pinched bolsters are VERY nice and noted on better knives. Companies didn't spend money on the frills for cheap knives. I have owned the exact same knife pattern.

Tidioute Cutlery did make some knives for this hardware firm, but they would be stamped accordingly. Hardware houses had a lot of knives made for them with the company name on them. Remember they didn't make them, they just had thier name put on them. WHo every offered them the best price on a pattern, got the sale.

I suggest that readers learn more about the old hardware houses and how they operated. It was enlightening to me to realize the role they played in our favorite hobby 100 years ago.