All About Pocket Knives

A fellow had this intact display of Burkinshaw knives at the Oregon Show a couple of years ago, from before 1881!!
You bet that's a rare box, because that's when the factory closed!!!!

Charlie,

That collection of Burkinshaw knives now resides in New England. It is quite a collection of knives.

Who owns it now, M.B? I heard the fellow who brought it west for the show passed away!!??

Charlie,

I don`t know what happened to the person who owned it previously. I do know that the collection came up for auction a few years ago at a west coast auction house. This is where the current owner bought it from. It is a long story but briefly, this used to belong to the current owners father-in-law. The estate was sold and the person on the west coast bought it. The man who now owns it found it for sale online, bought it and had it shipped back. He does not want his name disclosed, and I was surprised to learn he is not really a knife collector. He just remembers this hanging on the wall years ago and wanted it back. If you have had a chance to see it it truly is an amazing sight! Even if you are not a collector you have to appreciate the beauty and skill of the craftsman who made these knives.

MILLER BRO`S wrote:Charlie,

I don`t know what happened to the person who owned it previously. I do know that the collection came up for auction a few years ago at a west coast auction house. This is where the current owner bought it from. It is a long story but briefly, this used to belong to the current owners father-in-law. The estate was sold and the person on the weat coast bought it. The man who now owns it found it for sale online, bought it and had it shipped back. He does not want his name disclosed, and I was surprised to learn he is not really a knife collector. He just remembers this hanging on the wall years ago and wanted it back. If you have had a chance to see it it truely is an amazing sight! Even if you are not a collector you have to appreciate the beauty and skill of the craftsman who made these knives.

M.B.

I attended the auction in 2002 when that display was sold at the Skinner Auction Gallery in Bolton, Massachusetts. The bidding zoomed up to $42,000 within a minute or two. I am glad that I got the chance to see it in person.

I have a Bowie knife auction catalog from 2006 that lists it as being up for auction at that time - maybe that was the last time it was sold?

Hi Steve,

Yes, that is the auction they sold at in 2006. Except this time around they sold for $90,000!


M.B.

MILLER BRO`S wrote:Hi Steve,

Yes, that is the auction they sold at in 2006. Except this time around they sold for $90,000!


M.B.

MB;

I see that you are in my neck of the woods...are you an NCCA member?

I live in Hudson, Mass.

Steve

I love that Burkinshaw, man is that a rare one. Here are 2 more I picked up. New Yok Knife Co tableware box and a dirty Howard Cutlery Co. The Howard is a wooden box covered with a linen material.

Mike, nice ones. Here are a few more....................

This is the very first knife box I ever bought!

I love this thread! Thanks for keeping it interesting, Mike and M.B!
Some real beauties!

Thanks Charlie,

Glad you are enjoying them. Here is a J.A Henckels sheath knife box.............

Another Electric Box I picked up.

I remember that Burkinshaw display from the on-line auction catalog in 2006. You could click on the pictures and peruse the knives in a very close-up manner like we can with some photos on AAPK. Those knives were just fantastic. $90,000.00 might have been a bargain, if one has that kind of money to spend.

Here are some Robeson boxes. The yellow one on the lower right is probably the oldest one I have. The one with the multi-colored label has metal corner reinforcements. The two black ones, I think, are from the early 1900's. A similar box was described in a price guide in 1989 as being much later, but I have a 1910-1915 display case with red starburst price labels at each knife position that are just like the starbursts on these boxes. Note that the box on the upper right is marked, "Robeson-Rochester Corporation". The spring retention display/storage box is a nice geenish-blue color with gold lettering.

There exist later red boxes similar to the black ones. I don't have one of those, yet.

Charlie Noyes

Well Charlie,

You have me beat! I only have one Robeson knife box

Mine is like the one you have in the upper left hand corner of your picture. Except that the box is yellow like the label, and it never had metal reinforcing in the corners.

I have others, but these are the only one's I can lay on my scanner.
I'll try to take some digital photos, but it won't be for a few days. Back to work tomorrow, busy, busy, busy.
Charlie Noyes

I only have one knife box...this Bruckmann.



Glenn

Glenn,

Nice old German knife box


Charlie,

Can`t wait to see the other Robeson boxes you have.

Some more old knife boxes....................................................................

A couple more old boxes.............................................................

Great boxes M.B!
Is Bartlett the one from HS&B??
Never seen Fenton before!

Charlie,

There is no indication that Wm. Bartlett was affiliated with H.S. & B.


Here is the Empire Knife Co. cutlery box.

Here's one you don't see too often. A small A. F. Bannister & Co. box. So far it's the only knife box in my collection.