All About Pocket Knives

Here is a little knife by Novelty Cutlery Co. that I think is quite novel. A little 4 blade lobster type knife that is just 3 1/16" long when closed. All blades except the small pen blade is stamped "NOVELTY CUT Co." I think the cool and novel thing about this knife is the celluloid skeleton type see through frame. I have seen a good number of Novelty picture handled knives and razors. Too often in less than good condition and often that grading is a result of deteriorated celluloid handles. The frame on this knife has seen some separation and glue but the blades still walk and talk like a youngster.

Goins also lists a Novelty Cutlery Co. Brooklyn New York c. 1929-1930. There is a chance that company marketed this knife though I think the knife may predate these years. With square kicks I would say this knife could be from the turn of the century or before.

I included some pictures from an old 32 page Novelty catalog I have. The catalog also pictures straight razors and scissors. Not all products shown had the see through celluloid picture handles. The catalog is not dated but I think it may date from the early teens.

If you look closely at the last picture of company founder and president Augustos Vignos you may notice his right hand is not visible in the picture. A. Vignos was a Civil War Major and he lost his right arm in the war.

Goins book shows the Novelty Cutlery Co. of Canton Ohio to have been in business c 1879 -1948.

Any info you can add about Novelty Cut Co. or this knife would be welcomed.

Wayne

Very cool! I love unusual knives like that one.

Wayne:
Are you sure the scales are celluloid? They look almost like carved ivory. Beautiful and unusual little knife whatever the case.
A question for you:in that catalog you show a page with some hooks with pocket knife handles.At the bottom of that picture is an unusual hook (#425) that I don't see a description of;could you tell me what they call it?
Reason I ask is I have one of those made of brass and it folds into a congress shaped interframe handle with French ivory scales. I always thought it was something that someone had made up as the pivot pin appears to have been removed at one time but now I'm not so sure.
Here are a couple of pictures of the item in question.Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Didn't mean to hijack your post.

btrwtr wrote:Goins also lists a Novelty Cutlery Co. Brooklyn New York c. 1929-1930.

I have a couple of these, I think this one was made in Germany.

knife7knut wrote:At the bottom of that picture is an unusual hook (#425) that I don't see a description of;could you tell me what they call it?

Ray, the catalog says it`s a Reed hook, which I think is incorrect, similar but S-shaped and shorter.

The correct description I think is a heddle hook, which is long and can be bent.

The heddle hook is typically used to thread yarn through reed eyes on a rigid heddle or harness loom.

knife7knut wrote: I always thought it was something that someone had made up as the pivot pin appears to have been removed at one time but now I'm not so sure.

I believe this was made up, as you say the pivot pin has been replaced and I have several just the same as yours that I am sure someone took a fixed handle heddle hook and placed the blade in a folding knife.

Dimitri, Thanks for that answer because I sure didn't know. Ray, the handles are celluloid with no pattern.

For those that may not know. I learned a long time ago that if you are unsure if a material is celluloid or not you can use this little trick:

Rub the material back and forth very quickly and repeatedly for 20 or so seconds on a coarse fabric. New Denim jeans will work quite well. Then do a quick odor check of the material for the smell of camphor. If you smell camphor it's celluloid. You have to get the celluloid warm to do this. If done correctly it won't harm the handles.

Wayne

Thanks for the info Dimitri.I did a little searching and found a couple companies that sell those hooks.It looks like they list one very similar to the one I have as a reed hook.I think you are right about this being installed in the knife handle.Strangely enough whomever did it must have copied the tang shape of the original blade very closely because the back spring is flush in both the open and closed position.There is a depression on one side of the knife that acted as an access for a sunken nail mark.Apparently it was a single blade knife (which I find a bit unusual for that pattern)as there is no evidence a blade ever occupied the opposite end.There is a pattern name for that style of handle but I don't know what it is offhand.I don't think it is called a congress.

I don't know if this is what you're thinking Ray,but to me it looks similar to the Norfolk style frame.

wlf wrote:I don't know if this is what you're thinking Ray,but to me it looks similar to the Norfolk style frame.

It does in genral shape but not in size.I just looked in BRL's second edition and he lists it as a swell center congress.He shows 2,3,and 4 blade versions but no single blade.

Seems to me Ray's piece could be the real deal and not something cobbled together. The patent below shows an S shaped reed hook built into a knife frame.

I am new to this group, so please bear with me if I am ignorant of earlier posts.
Has anyone seen a pocket knife from the Novelty Cutlery Co. of Canton, Ohio, which was produced about 1014 to 1918, that bears the image of Harry A March? March was a physician from Canton, who owned and managed several traveling theatrical companies. One newspaper article says he handed out pocket knives with his image on the handle, as souvenirs. Since he was a Canton man, I am guessing he had his local company produce the souvenir knives. Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Hello. Found this thread last week. I have a razor with family photos embedded in the handle, covered by cellulose. It was passed down to me from my grandfather, the small boy in the photos. He was born in 1896. His father, the razor's original owner, was A. E. Crowell... the older gentleman we presume to be HIS father.
From looking through comments, seems like razors similar to mine have celluloid damage or severe discoloration. This one is in great shape. Planning on taking it to my barber shop, have them strop it up, and give me a shave using great-grandpa's blade. Any opinions on that?

Aeroboss wrote:Hello. Found this thread last week. I have a razor with family photos embedded in the handle, covered by cellulose. It was passed down to me from my grandfather, the small boy in the photos. He was born in 1896. His father, the razor's original owner, was A. E. Crowell... the older gentleman we presume to be HIS father.
From looking through comments, seems like razors similar to mine have celluloid damage or severe discoloration. This one is in great shape. Planning on taking it to my barber shop, have them strop it up, and give me a shave using great-grandpa's blade. Any opinions on that?

Nice razor and great heirloom!
Opinions on shaving with it? As one who uses straight razors, I wouldn't without having it first professionally sharpened. Stropping won't do a thing to get it shave ready, which I doubt it is (but I've been wrong before). I send my razors out to Glen at GemStar Customs www.gemstarcustoms.com Great guy to work with, very skilled, and a quick turnaround.

Keep oil off of the celluloid. It seems to react with it and can cause them to outgas.

Love the family pictures. I

I recently acquired this incredible Jack Johnson vs James J. Jeffries 1910 Canton Cutlery pocket knife. I love this thing, and I am pretty sure it's incredibly rare. Just wanted to share it here now that I found this message board.

Cool

BiggieT wrote: ↑Fri Sep 08, 2023 7:50 pm I recently acquired this incredible Jack Johnson vs James J. Jeffries 1910 Canton Cutlery pocket knife. I love this thing, and I am pretty sure it's incredibly rare. Just wanted to share it here now that I found this message board.

Wow! You gotta love that piece of history!

Welcome to AAPK!
I have seen a lot of Novelty knives, but never one with boxers on it.
It is a shame about the broken blade.
Still, a cool find!

Wow! That's a very cool old Novelty. Great history with it too!

Welcome to AAPK

Something to add here. Probably a franchise salesman's order envelope that would be used to send pattern number, desired picture and any other customer info for ordering a custom picture knife. The date on the back is January 16, 1914 , 109 years ago and never used. J.O'.

Awesome survivor and a sweet HOK (honest old knife). to AAPK!

John