Stamped "BLACK BROS"

[TPK]

Just ran across this 2 3/4" pen knife with horn inlays stamped "Black Bros". Anybody know anything about this interesting little knife? Thanks for your time!

[Ripster]

Just ran across this 2 3/4" pen knife with horn inlays stamped "Black Bros". Anybody know anything about this interesting little knife? Thanks for your time!

Tom, that’s a neat looking piece
Don’t know a dang thing about the tang stamp,is there a country of origin anywhere?
Looks to be Brass bolster/ frame ,or is it the pic, does look older and both blades have long pulls that almost look hand cut/ filed!
Is the price right for you, if so go for it

[rea1eye]

Mr. Google was not very helpful.

Bob

[kootenay joe]

Handles inlet into the frame with decorative inlay pattern is seen on some old German & Austria ("Nixdorf") knives.
"Black Bros" sounds British, maybe an importer ? Knives from 1800's often do not have a country name marking.
Note: i am guessing it could be of German origin, not saying that it is.
kj

[knife7knut]

Definitely German;here is the almost identical knife with the stamp of Argyle Cutlery.The inserts on this one are tortoise shell.

[kootenay joe]

Right on ! Ray to the rescue
kj

[Toejammer]

Well this should be interesting ...
Here's mine w/ G.C.Co (Gutman Cutlery Co) stamping from Japan. Same tortoise shell insert without the elaborate brass work.

[kootenay joe]

Gutmann imported from Germany until about 1960's then he switched to getting knives made in Japan. The knife Ray shows could be a Gutmann imported knife and later he asked a manufacturer in Japan to copy the pattern,
kj

[TPK]

Thanks for sharing your knives & knowledge folks. I appreciate your time and input!

[Toejammer]

Gutmann imported from Germany until about 1960's then he switched to getting knives made in Japan. The knife Ray shows could be a Gutmann imported knife and later he asked a manufacturer in Japan to copy the pattern,
kj

Makes sense ! I was just struck by the similarities, though mine doesn't have a long pull main or the fancy brass inlay on the tortoise shell. One question though, would these have real tortoise shell, or do you think they were post ban era ?

[TPK]

Just ran across this 2 3/4" pen knife with horn inlays stamped "Black Bros". Anybody know anything about this interesting little knife? Thanks for your time!

Tom, that’s a neat looking piece
Don’t know a dang thing about the tang stamp,is there a country of origin anywhere?
Looks to be Brass bolster/ frame ,or is it the pic, does look older and both blades have long pulls that almost look hand cut/ filed!
Is the price right for you, if so go for it

Thanks for the input JP! The auction still has 4 or 5 days left to go. My biggest problem is, I have 5 or 6 knives I'm very intersted in right now but I can't buy them all. Theres this one, a Wayne, a Remington and a few more I like. The Remington will probably go too high, the Wayne will probably go for more than it's really worth and I don't know how this one will go. It's around $15 right now but still plenty of time for it to go up. Wanted to find out more about it so I asked. Thought it might be something spectacular but I see there were a number of different makers or at least a number of different stampers for these. It's an absolutely interesting little knife but I have to figure out which one I want most by tomarrow evening when the Wayne auction ends. Think I'll bid on the Wayne and see if I can snag it. If not, I'll try to get this one if it doesn't go up much more on the price.

[TPK]

As far as age goes, this knife has it hands down.

As a "Classic" US folder, it's the (I guess 80's or 90's) Remington.

And the Wayne is just plain & simple, the prettiest of the 3.

[knife7knut]

Gutmann imported from Germany until about 1960's then he switched to getting knives made in Japan. The knife Ray shows could be a Gutmann imported knife and later he asked a manufacturer in Japan to copy the pattern,
kj

The knife I posted was made by Argyle Cutlery Co. in Germany. BRL listed them in his 2nd edition as circa 1910.Goins lists the name but no dates(my copy is an early one so it may have been updated.

[RobesonsRme.com]

“BLACK BROTHERS” is most likely a fantasy name used by German and Austrian makers circa WWI and afterwards to get around the negative feelings of Americans and Brits to Germany.

The Kastor Brothers in Camillus, New York did the same. They came up with numerous American sounding names and logos for their products.

If BRL stated Argyle, he’s probably right, but even “Argyle” sounds like an attempt to sound like a manufacturer in the UK.

Charlie

[TPK]

Interesting Thanks Charlie!