Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

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Gone2Three
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Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by Gone2Three »

Howdy y'all, I came across this ol knife and remember reading here about Ivorine scales on some knives.
Looking at this one and it has a shine to it, so was wanting to ask if it's ivory... the real deal ::pray:: Also the tang stamp looks a little unusual jagged if sorts, perhaps from age. Any thoughts on this one?
Thank you, Randy
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by knife7knut »

It looks to be genuine,"pachyderm incisor" to me. As for why the stamp is so disfigured,I can only surmise that it was stamped on an unfinished tang. A word of caution: DO NOT open both blades like that at the same time! It makes it very easy for the back spring to snap in two. Nice old knife.
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edge213
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by edge213 »

From the pictures it looks like ivory. Though I've never seen a HSB with ivory.
I don't know what's going on with that tang stamp.
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by Gone2Three »

knife7knut wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 9:53 pm It looks to be genuine,"pachyderm incisor" to me. As for why the stamp is so disfigured,I can only surmise that it was stamped on an unfinished tang. A word of caution: DO NOT open both blades like that at the same time! It makes it very easy for the back spring to snap in two. Nice old knife.
Appreciate your response ::handshake::
I haven't gained enough experience to distinguish the materials from just looking at it. As for the caution... I have been warned by another member here prior from one of my first few posts of a knife that I brought, so lesson learned the first time lol....
These are the sellers pictures that were sent to me, so I haven't acquired it just yet. I wanted to check with our experts here before pulling the trigger.
The tang stamp has me perplexed, just looked rather odd ::hmm::
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FRJ
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by FRJ »

Gone2Three wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:44 pm
The tang stamp has me perplexed, just looked rather odd ::hmm::
It could be an old used up stamp that they had not replaced yet.

Nice little pen knife.
Joe
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by Gone2Three »

edge213 wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:38 pm From the pictures it looks like ivory. Though I've never seen a HSB with ivory.
I don't know what's going on with that tang stamp.
Thanks David ::handshake::
So that's 2 for a possible ivory .... ::hmm::
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by Gone2Three »

FRJ wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:49 pm
Gone2Three wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:44 pm
The tang stamp has me perplexed, just looked rather odd ::hmm::
It could be an old used up stamp that they had not replaced yet.

Nice little pen knife.
Thanks Joe ::handshake::
Was it common for that to happen? Honestly it looks like someone took an etching tool of sorts to it ::paranoid::
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by Doc B »

Gone2Three wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:55 pm
FRJ wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:49 pm
Gone2Three wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:44 pm
The tang stamp has me perplexed, just looked rather odd ::hmm::
It could be an old used up stamp that they had not replaced yet.

Nice little pen knife.
Thanks Joe ::handshake::
Was it common for that to happen? Honestly it looks like someone took an etching tool of sorts to it ::paranoid::
I'm no expert...but; I agree, it looks like someone took some type of engraving instrument and tried to make it more legible. Can't say it was overly successful.
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by FRJ »

Gone2Three wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:55 pm
Was it common for that to happen? Honestly it looks like someone took an etching tool of sorts to it ::paranoid::
Cutleries did use stamps that were somewhat worn. I believe I have some examples.

However, looking at that stamp, if you can call it that, it looks pretty suspicious I will admit.
I looked at a few of my HSB knives and they have very nice defined stamps.
The thing is, with an engraver, that would be pretty hard to do I would assume. I have no experience in forming
small lettering on anything. (Well, there was that note to Cecelia, in the third grade. ::paranoid::)
In spite of it looking suspect it does have uniformity.
It seems a stretch someone would go to any lengths to promote that knife in a fraudulent way.
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by Gone2Three »

FRJ wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 11:52 pm
Gone2Three wrote: Thu Dec 17, 2020 10:55 pm
Was it common for that to happen? Honestly it looks like someone took an etching tool of sorts to it ::paranoid::
Cutleries did use stamps that were somewhat worn. I believe I have some examples.

However, looking at that stamp, if you can call it that, it looks pretty suspicious I will admit.
I looked at a few of my HSB knives and they have very nice defined stamps.
The thing is, with an engraver, that would be pretty hard to do I would assume. I have no experience in forming
small lettering on anything. (Well, there was that note to Cecelia, in the third grade. ::paranoid::)
In spite of it looking suspect it does have uniformity.
It seems a stretch someone would go to any lengths to promote that knife in a fraudulent way.
Well Joe, ::nod:: agreed... it does have uniformity to it, probably need it in hand to see up close in order to make the call.
On yours are both blades marked or just the one?
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by FRJ »

Gone2Three wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 1:35 am

On yours are both blades marked or just the one?
I found two of mine. One is a jack with a curved stamp on the main and the pen blade is stamped also.
The other is a four blade stockman. All blades are stamped, even the little manicure blade.

HSB: 1855 - 1960 ...
It's nice to see a knife of that age that is a "shadow" knife, a knife without bolsters, to still have it's cover intact.
Blades look decent.
Joe
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by Gone2Three »

FRJ wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 3:14 am
Gone2Three wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 1:35 am

On yours are both blades marked or just the one?
I found two of mine. One is a jack with a curved stamp on the main and the pen blade is stamped also.
The other is a four blade stockman. All blades are stamped, even the little manicure blade.

HSB: 1855 - 1960 ...
It's nice to see a knife of that age that is a "shadow" knife, a knife without bolsters, to still have it's cover intact.
Blades look decent.
Thanks again Joe, well the seller came down to $31 bucks plus shipping and tax.. don't know if it's worth it unless it is indeed real ivory, and factor in the fuzzy tang stamp ::skeptic::
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by KLJ77 »

I have no experience in forming small lettering on anything. (Well, there was that note to Cecelia, in the third grade.
:lol: ::rotflol:: ::clapping::
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by FRJ »

Gone2Three, you have a couple of knowledgeable guys there that are giving the thumbs up for the "long tooth".
That's good.
If you buy it I hope it's a good little knife. Seems promising.
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Re: Hibbard Spencer Bartlett ivory?... Tang stamp help /info please

Post by Gone2Three »

FRJ wrote: Fri Dec 18, 2020 10:42 pm Gone2Three, you have a couple of knowledgeable guys there that are giving the thumbs up for the "long tooth".
That's good.
If you buy it I hope it's a good little knife. Seems promising.
Well, this particular deal didn't work out. With 10% off, add the shipping+ tax, it came out to about 40 bucks...
Seller replied also stating there was blade play/wobble and light snap. Took a pass.... but wanted to thank everyone for the help ::tu::
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