Camillus Coffin Bolster Crown Pen Display at OKCA 2016

[orvet]

I had very little time to look it displays at the 2016 OKCA show, but this one caught my eye.
The first shot gives an overview of the display and the other shots are the major components of the display.

I thought it was interesting because it does show examples of many of the handle materials named in the old Camillus catalogs. Also it shows many of the companies Camillus made this pattern for. Lastly it shows a unique Camillus pattern.

I figured you guys would enjoy seeing the pics. Double click to enlarge the pics.

[kootenay joe]

What a SUPERB display and GREAT post. Thank you Dale !
Now i must go through my "U.S.A." knives to see if i have one of these.
I wonder if the "W.H. Morley" is marked "Germany". Kastor owned Camillus and imported knives from Germany with his Morley branding.
kj

[carrmillus]

......dale, that is awesome!!.....in all my years of collecting Camillus knives, I have never seen this pattern, or was aware they made this pattern!!...now, i'll have to start searching for one of these(in rogers bone),thanks for posting this, dale!!!............ ..............

[XX Case XX]

Dale:

Thanks for the pictures!! It means a lot to us poor souls in California who can't go to them anymore. Knife & Gun shows are a distant memory...

___________
Mike

[orvet]

Well Mike, it is not far up to Oregon, about 12 hours, IIRC, from LA to Oregon.
It is even faster, (and probably cheaper from what I hear of the rates currently), to fly.

Seriously guys, the displays are amazing. That was only one of probably 20 displays and I just happened to walk by it and snapped some quick pics. I hope Lloyd or someone else got some pics of the displays.

[kootenay joe]

Here is one that i have: Sears Sta-Sharp 9501

[Ripster]

Here is one that i have: Sears Sta-Sharp 9501

Roland don’t know if you still have this old knife but must say that’s a very nice old piece! The Sta- Sharp etch is a bonus as well .
Have been going thru these old posts and you fellas sure have a lot of good stuff here .

[cody6268]

Awesome display!


Whatever happened to a true gentleman's knife? Seems no one is making a decent one these days. I've gotten hooked on the cheap older German ones, but I have several Schrade as well.

A "gentleman's folder" nowadays seems to be a shrunk-down tactical folder/other modern design, quite often a friction folder or other non-locking folder with premium handles.

My description has always been "A rather small knife, usually under three inches closed, having a spear main and nailfile secondary at least; but oftentimes also, scissors and/or a pen blade


I think the Swiss are the only ones producing a decent small knife with a nail file and scissors.

[kootenay joe]

Canal Street Cutlery made a ring turn Pen knife with a manicure blade secondary and the GEC 09 pattern is a small Pen knife but no manicure blade.
I guess Gent's carry a cell phone now rather than a small 'manicure' knife.
kj

[Ripster]

Just received the bone handled coffin bolstered pen knife . It now accompanies the Sta - Sharp one that Roland agreed to sell almost 2 years ago now . After several years of searching and looking it feels good to have a second one. They do seem to be scarce. The work that went into such a small knife is something else. They measure 2 and 3/4 inches long closed. Both are in decent condition . The bone handled one has tang stamps on both blades so gives me an idea to time frame but would really like to know more details about these . It’s been said that Camillus had 33 patterns that they were tooled up for and don’t remember this being one of them . And how long and how many of each did they make . Any info would be appreciated. If you have one could you please post it here. Thank you .

[Ripster]

The search continues! Have a third coffin bolster / crown pen to add . This one is the sword brand stamp on main,Camillus 4 line stamp on pile side of main . File is not stamped. This one came with a pile of dirt and pocket lint no extra charge . Got it cleaned out and some oil on it and the snap is come back .
Still looking for any ads ,catalogs or any literature pertaining to these knives and or the coffin bolster knives themselves.
Take care out there !

[doglegg]

The search continues! Have a third coffin bolster / crown pen to add . This one is the sword brand stamp on main,Camillus 4 line stamp on pile side of main . File is not stamped. This one came with a pile of dirt and pocket lint no extra charge . Got it cleaned out and some oil on it and the snap is come back .
Still looking for any ads ,catalogs or any literature pertaining to these knives and or the coffin bolster knives themselves.
Take care out there !

JP, you have a fine collection of another Camillus variation there. Congrats and keep us posted.

[New_Windsor_NY]

The.....

JP, that is a G👁👁D LKING trio of "coffins."

[Miller Bro's]

The search continues! Have a third coffin bolster / crown pen to add . This one is the sword brand stamp on main,Camillus 4 line stamp on pile side of main . File is not stamped. This one came with a pile of dirt and pocket lint no extra charge . Got it cleaned out and some oil on it and the snap is come back .
Still looking for any ads ,catalogs or any literature pertaining to these knives and or the coffin bolster knives themselves.
Take care out there !

Nice!

[Ridgegrass]

Here's a "Glitter" one the changes color when rotated. Didn't notice the cracks until I blew up the pic. Oh well. the blades are good. J.O'.

[New_Windsor_NY]

Here's.....

TERRIFIC find, J.O'.

[Ridgegrass]

Thanks Skip. I think those "Stainless" knives are of good quality. J.O'.

[Ripster]

Here's a "Glitter" one the changes color when rotated. Didn't notice the cracks until I blew up the pic. Oh well. the blades are good. J.O'.

Here’s the Stainless Cut co you sold me with the others . Thank you for selling this one to me Ridge .
These little knives are not very common it seems . Took over 4 years to get 4 of them .
If anyone has one or more they would like to part with please let me know . Thank you
Have a great weekend

[Ridgegrass]

Cool! Glad you enjoy it. O'.

[ThatWeirdKnifeGuy]

Here's a "Glitter" one the changes color when rotated. Didn't notice the cracks until I blew up the pic. Oh well. the blades are good. J.O'.

Here’s the Stainless Cut co you sold me with the others . Thank you for selling this one to me Ridge .
These little knives are not very common it seems . Took over 4 years to get 4 of them .
If anyone has one or more they would like to part with please let me know . Thank you
Have a great weekend

That's some seriously cool celluloid on that newest addition of yours. I've been looking out for a coffin bolster since I first read this thread. No dice yet. When I do though you'll be the first to know

[New_Windsor_NY]

Here’s.....

A VERY NICE addition to your CAMILLUS coffin bolster trio, JP.

[CutleryCollector-com]

I have been reviewing my coffin bolster crown pen knives and the great posts on aapk. I wish to ask the interested collectors and historians about some Kastor/Camillus history. I'm fairly new to posting so please forgive my errors. In the first pictures are a folder of coffin pen knives and the original eleven knives from the center of the display. Starting from the top left and going down are Camillus cut. Co. Pearl / Wm.Enders Green cell. / Hibbard Spencer & Bartlett Bone. / Stainless cut. Co. Red, Blue tinsel cell. / Sword brand Grey cell. / (top of 2nd row) W.h. Morley & sons brown cell. / Van Camp H & I Green w/ glitter cell. / Sta Sharp cracked ice cell. / Shumate cut co. Red, Gold tinsel cell. / Henry Sears & sons pyremite cell. / Curtin & Clark cut co Gold w/ glitter cell. I will post more to come -

[Ripster]

I have been reviewing my coffin bolster crown pen knives and the great posts on aapk. I wish to ask the interested collectors and historians about some Kastor/Camillus history. I'm fairly new to posting so please forgive my errors. In the first pictures are a folder of coffin pen knives and the original eleven knives from the center of the display. Starting from the top left and going down are Camillus cut. Co. Pearl / Wm.Enders Green cell. / Hibbard Spencer & Bartlett Bone. / Stainless cut. Co. Red, Blue tinsel cell. / Sword brand Grey cell. / (top of 2nd row) W.h. Morley & sons brown cell. / Van Camp H & I Green w/ glitter cell. / Sta Sharp cracked ice cell. / Shumate cut co. Red, Gold tinsel cell. / Henry Sears & sons pyremite cell. / Curtin & Clark cut co Gold w/ glitter cell. I will post more to come -

Well what a collection! Thank you for sharing and looking forward to seeing more of your posts . If you want to learn more Camillus history and about A . KASTOR check out Camillus collectors r us .com . Or if you go to the Camillus section here on the forum and read thru the top 2 or 3 threads you will come across more info . Please let me know if I can be of further help.
Did you put this collection together yourself? It is truly amazing.

[CutleryCollector-com]

In these next pictures I have separated out the W. H. Morley & sons brown celluloid knife along with two other I have subsequently found that match the exact construction of the Morley knife. The first of the other two knives has the same imitation burl wood brown celluloid. It is stamped "Harvard" on the front tang, and "G. W. co." (over) "Cleveland" on the back of the blade. The smaller second blade is also stamped the same. The second of the knives is Genuine Pearl and stamped "A. Kastor & Bros" (over) "New York" on the front of the master blade. And "Kastor" (over) "New York" on the front of the smaller second blade in a slightly different stamp. These knives do not have the brass tapered shim at the end of the knife. They are built thinner in profile and all have identical nail nicks on both sides of the knife to access the blade pull nicks. Perhaps these three knives pre-date the Camillus knives. Are these contract knives ordered and made by Adolf Kastor's German cutlery importer?

[Ripster]

In these next pictures I have separated out the W. H. Morley & sons brown celluloid knife along with two other I have subsequently found that match the exact construction of the Morley knife. The first of the other two knives has the same imitation burl wood brown celluloid. It is stamped "Harvard" on the front tang, and "G. W. co." (over) "Cleveland" on the back of the blade. The smaller second blade is also stamped the same. The second of the knives is Genuine Pearl and stamped "A. Kastor & Bros" (over) "New York" on the front of the master blade. And "Kastor" (over) "New York" on the front of the smaller second blade in a slightly different stamp. These knives do not have the brass tapered shim at the end of the knife. They are built thinner in profile and all have identical nail nicks on both sides of the knife to access the blade pull nicks. Perhaps these three knives pre-date the Camillus knives. Are these contract knives ordered and made by Adolf Kastor's German cutlery importer?

Interesting! I believe you’re correct in stating the KASTOR, Morley and the Harvard were made to be exported from Germany . Have a KASTOR and Morley gents knife w/ scissors and they have Germany stamped below the main blade tang stamp . The smaller blades like on your examples posted here are said to be too small to have that stamped on them . You sure have an amazing collection of Camillus related knives.
Maybe Dimitri ( forum user name Miller Brothers) will see this post of yours and chime in with better info. He’s one of our experts/ historians here .
Will do some more checking around as well.
Very interested to learn more from you and to see your other knives.