Battin & Co

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dcgm4
Posts: 1962
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Battin & Co

Post by dcgm4 »

I just picked up this knife from eBay. It was made by Battin & Co. They were located in Newark, NJ (1896-1922). The handles are sterling silver, and the design makes me think that it was made for a member of the Elks Lodge in New York City. Other than the date I don't know anything about the company. Anybody have any info or other items by this company?
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trail
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Re: Battin & Co

Post by trail »

Battin & Co.
Newark, NJ 1896-1922 Founded by John D. Battin.
Makers of sterling and gold novelties.

There are a lot of attractive gold and silver pieces to see on the internet - not knives, but match cases and the like. I think that it was once common for silversmiths to buy unhandled knives and add their own silver handles to sell in their stores.

The Battins appear to have been prominent people in the community.

http://books.google.com/books?pg=RA9-PA ... utput=text
The business of Leroy W. Fairchild Co. has been divided. L. C. Fairchild and H. B. Fairchild will continue the gold pen and pencil business under the old firm name, while S. S. Battin and John D. Battin will take the jewelry business, which will be conducted under the title of Battin & Co. The latter firm have been incorporated. The factory in this city has been divided and will be occupied by both firms, as will the offices at 189 Broadway, New York, until May 1st, when Battin & Co. will remove their office to the factory in this city.

http://books.google.com/books?id=6-c-AA ... utput=text
BATTIN, Sylvester Strong, hanker, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 15, 1829, son of Joseph and Harriet Louisa (Strong) Battin. and grandson of Henry Battin, a Pennsylvania farmer...He assisted his father in engineering work at Albany, Newark, and New Haven, spent a year in the Rodgers Locomotive works at Paterson, N. J., and theu assisted his father on the Buffalo water works; and when his father's firm dissolved in 1852 he re-organized it, conducting it under the name and Hartford, of S. S. Battin & Co. He completed gas works at Elmira and Newburg. N. Y., and at Monroe, Mich., as well as at Maranham, Brazil. The latter was begun in 18(!0, and after completing it, he builtseven street ratlway lines in Rio Janeiro. Upon returning to Newark. N. J., in 1862, he purchased a street car line, and gradually secured control of all the lines in that city, conducting them with success until 1890, when he sold his interests. Mr. Battin was president of the Manufacturers'National Bank, from 1895, and of the Security Savings Bank from 1893, until his death. He was a member of the Union League Club of New York, the Essex club of Newark, and the Essex Country Club of Orange, N. J. He was married, first, in 18.V2 to Priscilla C. Davis, by whom he had two children ; second, in IWIl, to Joanna B. Downing, by whom he had four children ; and third, in 1898, to Ada B. Douglass, who survived him. Mr. Battin was a man of high aims and large views, possessing a sturdv integrity and an unflinching devotion to his reslxinsibilities. He died in East Orange, N. J.. July 3. 1904.
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dcgm4
Posts: 1962
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Re: Battin & Co

Post by dcgm4 »

Thanks, trail! That's a lot of great information! ::tu::
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