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Need help identifying a couple knives
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 5:32 pm
by rstoecke
I picked up 4 knives at an estate sale. The sale was from a WWII veteran who passed away recently.
The knife with the inlaid dragon in the handle has a mark on the hilt that says Taiei in a banner over some kind of a globe or sun design.
This knife has no markings I saw similar ones on Ebay that were described as trench art.
This one is marked Solingen Germany Loffe
This one is marked Kinfolks 9361 with a design of a running buck on the blade, the sheath is also Kinfolks
Re: Need help identifying a couple knives
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 7:08 pm
by treefarmer
Can't help very much, but the Kinfolks is probably from the Case family knife business. treefarmer
Re: Need help identifying a couple knives
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:26 pm
by jerryd6818
The first knife looks like something made for the tourist trade during the '50s & '60s and based on the design of the Fairbairn Sykes British commando knife from WWII. Taiei was a town located in Katori District, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Modern Taiei Town was established on February 11, 1955 through the merger of the villages of Shoei and Osuka. Taiei no longer exists. JMO
Re: Need help identifying a couple knives
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 9:59 pm
by rstoecke
Thanks for the info, I looked up that style knife and you're right it looks modeled after that. I'm not sure if it was named after the city or not. I found some references to a phrase TAIEI KINEN which seems to mean Commemorative Discharge.
Re: Need help identifying a couple knives
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 10:09 pm
by jerryd6818
Oh yeah, and before I forget my manners, welcome to AAPK. Glad to have you aboard.
Re: Need help identifying a couple knives
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 10:37 pm
by Paladin
to AAPK.
I looked in my standard reference books, Goins and Levine, and found nothing on the maker of the German dagger. It is reminiscent of the Hitler Youth knife. On the unseen side, is there anything inset into the handle? Swastika, fleur-de-lis? Most of these knives were tourist trade knives and they started right after WWII. With the unknown maker, it would be interesting to see the 'other side' of the handle.
Ray
Re: Need help identifying a couple knives
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 10:55 pm
by rstoecke
Thanks for the welcomes. The German knife has a silver diamond inlaid in the handle on the other side, no markings on it. Isn't the maker Solingen?
Re: Need help identifying a couple knives
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:06 pm
by Paladin
No, Solingen is a location, not a maker.
Ray
Re: Need help identifying a couple knives
Posted: Fri Mar 01, 2013 11:57 pm
by basser5
Welcome to AAPK
The Hitler youth knife was made by "Soffe"
It is a post WWII reproduction made for export. An original isn't stamped "Germany"
Tim