All About Pocket Knives

Here is a knife I picked up this weekend at the Oregon show.

The tang stamp is:
CONTINENTAL (arched)/N.Y./CUTLERY CO

I bought it in a bunch of parts knives I purchased.
All that was wrong to keep it from functing properly was a missing pivot pin.
I slipped a pin in and it works great with great snap.
I will probably replace the ebony handles as thay are pretty ratted out and the back one is split & has been glued.

I thought it was pretty cool!
I know nothing about the brand.
Any info is welcome.

Dale, Goins shows a Continental cutlery Co. New York. 1915-1920.

Here's a couple I'd like to get in this fine thread.
The pearl is 3 1/4" ..... the bone is 3 3/4".

Page two:

Swell postings all.
Really nice knives Joe, the MOP doctors knife is really a looker. A very pretty knife. Also, in regards to where thefarside's Excelsior was made, I dont know about you but I have seen identical jigging and bar shield on both Holley and Northfield bone handled hunter lockbacks. Also, why do you say Worcester, I was unaware that Excelsior was manufactured there?

Great knives thefarside! A nice selection of handle materials, with the bone being especially nice. I also really like old black buffalo horn (looks like whats on the pen knife), it can have such wonderful color.

Beachtree,
I only wish I had seen or held a Holly or Northfield bone handled hunter lock back. I must say I have no reference there. For the sake of the old manufactures I would hope it was made in Torrington or Northfield, but I suppose it's reasonable to think Holly could have made it. It could have been made down here in Plymouth.
I was wondering about the Worcester connection because Goins has a Excelcior Cutlery Co., Worcester, Mass.
Page 94. A different company no doubt.

Here is a little knife that I believe would fit in several categories but I am posting it here. Awesome thin aged stag handles, 3 1/4" closed length. Very rare stamping. I sold this knife at the Tulsa Gun Show but thought to get a picture before letting it go. One of the sweetest little knives I've ever had the pleasure to own and admire. I've never seen another one and doubt I ever will. Unique.

Both blades are stamped "DREW & SONS PICCADILLY CIRCUS".

The coolest thing about it is that it is a trick opener. Notice no nail pulls.

The little flowers on the bolsters are actually slides that when pulled towards the end of the bolster open the blades as shown in the second picture. This sliding action pulls the blade, as the bolster is slid, up into a position where the back spring tension opens the blades as shown in the second picture. After that the blades have good spring tension and will snap open like any other slip joint knife.. The blades close as any normal slip joint with the exception that when they snap to the final closed position they then slide forward just a fraction of an inch in the frame. This allows the blades to then be once again pulled out from this resting position by the use of the sliding florets.

Wayne

Gentlemen, thanks for all the comments on the Union and the Excelsior. Joe, I'm guessing the Excelsior was made in Torrington. When I get some free time, I will check some of my old books and see if I can turn up a catalog cut of the knife.

Some fantastic knives posted here, of late.

Dale, Robeson made knives marked CONTINENTAL /CUTLERY CO. / NEW YORK

Here is a Robeson letter to an Upstate New York retailer re' a shipment of Continental knives.

Note the date. Photo will expand times two.

There was a discussion re' Continental over at BF recently.

Charlie Noyes

Wayne that is one cool knife!!!

btrwtr wrote:Here is a little knife that I believe would fit in several categories but I am posting it here. Awesome thin aged stag handles, 3 1/4" closed length. Very rare stamping. I sold this knife at the Tulsa Gun Show but thought to get a picture before letting it go. One of the sweetest little knives I've ever had the pleasure to own and admire. I've never seen another one and doubt I ever will. Unique.

Both blades are stamped "DREW & SONS PICCADILLY CIRCUS".

The coolest thing about it is that it is a trick opener. Notice no nail pulls.

The little flowers on the bolsters are actually slides that when pulled towards the end of the bolster open the blades as shown in the second picture. This sliding action pulls the blade, as the bolster is slid, up into a position where the back spring tension opens the blades as shown in the second picture. After that the blades have good spring tension and will snap open like any other slip joint knife.. The blades close as any normal slip joint with the exception that when they snap to the final closed position they then slide forward just a fraction of an inch in the frame. This allows the blades to then be once again pulled out from this resting position by the use of the sliding florets.

Wayne

That is rare. A London retailer and a trick knife too. Nice find. I'm sure the current owner is happy with it.

Iron Hoarder wrote:

btrwtr wrote:Here is a little knife that I believe would fit in several categories but I am posting it here. Awesome thin aged stag handles, 3 1/4" closed length. Very rare stamping. I sold this knife at the Tulsa Gun Show but thought to get a picture before letting it go. One of the sweetest little knives I've ever had the pleasure to own and admire. I've never seen another one and doubt I ever will. Unique.

Both blades are stamped "DREW & SONS PICCADILLY CIRCUS".

The coolest thing about it is that it is a trick opener. Notice no nail pulls.

The little flowers on the bolsters are actually slides that when pulled towards the end of the bolster open the blades as shown in the second picture. This sliding action pulls the blade, as the bolster is slid, up into a position where the back spring tension opens the blades as shown in the second picture. After that the blades have good spring tension and will snap open like any other slip joint knife.. The blades close as any normal slip joint with the exception that when they snap to the final closed position they then slide forward just a fraction of an inch in the frame. This allows the blades to then be once again pulled out from this resting position by the use of the sliding florets.

Wayne

That is rare. A London retailer and a trick knife too. Nice find. I'm sure the current owner is happy with it.

A very special little knife. Wasn't easy to let it go. Thanks.

Thanks for the info on the Continental knife.
I could not find much info, but a couple indirect mentions of the Robeson in conjunction with Continental.

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

Here's an ebony jack marked "Albert & Meyer Baltimore." Albert & Meyer was a hardware wholesaler in Baltimore circa 1888-1892. The knife was made on contract by Miller Bros, and one cool thing about this knife is the covered backsprings.

That's a beauty!

FRJ wrote:That's a beauty!

+1

Thanks, guys.

Great old knife dcgm4. I love the old covered backsprings.

I just picked up the most interesting lock back whittler All 3 blades are stamped AI BABCOCK HARDWARE CO. Check out the lock back and stag handles.

^NICE!

Beechtree wrote:Great old knife dcgm4. I love the old covered backsprings.

Thanks, Beechtree.

Jacknifeben wrote:I just picked up the most interesting lock back whittler All 3 blades are stamped AI BABCOCK HARDWARE CO. Check out the lock back and stag handles.

Great whittler! That definitely is a rare one. A.L. Babcock Hardware Co. was in Billings, Montana from 1892 to 1903. Awesome find!

Thanks, where did you find the brand name?

I just googled it. Here are a couple of links you might find helpful:

http://books.google.com/books?id=OT84AQ ... re&f=false

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mtygf ... abcock.htm

Alot of history in old knives. Thanks.

I see where there are already some Hilger made knives in this thread, which was helpful prior to buying this one from the recent Voyles museum auction.

That's a beautiful knife, ObsidianEdge.

This Excelsior is kind of old and obscure.