All About Pocket Knives

This set was sold by Millard F. Robeson when he was working out of his home in Elmira, New York.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-Robeson ... SwB09YMgKb

Sold for $15.00, I would say someone got a pretty good deal. You buy that set, Charlie?
Dan

No.

Lots of history there. I'll add a copy of the photo from the listing so that future readers can see what was being discussed.

Millard Robeson was also heavily involved with the Rochester Stamping Company, which might have been the source of those three cutlery items or he had them made on contract by somebody. He was importing his cutlery from Germany and England prior to 1891.

I have a Robeson, Elmira, N.Y., pocketknife box that Michael Lossico gave me a few years ago.

Anything from that time period is old, circa 1875 to 1890.

Charlie

This etch from Robeson is not very "politically correct".

MB, I've seen one of those on Ebay before.

I'd like to have one in great condition.

Charlie

Charlie I grabbed that photo from eBay

MBs,
That Robeson etch is almost as offensive and politically incorrect as the Savage Arms logo .
Treefarmer

MB, now that I think about it, I think I copied the photo from Ebay, too,

That knife was part of Rhett Stidham's estate and offered up in one of those numnerous high priced auctions by that charlatan.

Charlie

I just couldn't ignore this carving set that Charlie started this thread with.

This set was sold by Millard F. Robeson when he was working out of his home in Elmira, New York.

This was in 1893 to 1894. Over 120 years ago! Could I assume M.F. Robeson actually handled this set?
The set is in pretty decent shape for its age. I wonder who made it. The seller said the handles were cast. I guess they were.
They are really nice. Like high relief. A remarkable floral design. The fork is very finely made with a well made support, which confuses me as to how it should be used, as all cutting forks of this style do. Does the knife remain in the open slot when not in use?
There is no reference for me as I survived my early life and beyond. The knife has very little blade loss, although it is pretty well scratched from poor handling. And how about that steel. Did Nicholson make that? Cross hached Steel. I don't think I have that on any of my other steels.
I'm really happy to have this early set.

I think it's older than you think. Millard incorporated his company in 1875, but he had been selling out of his Elmira home prior to that. I've heard the date 1868 mentioned.

To my knowledge, other than a concrete block building in his back yard, there was never a "factory" in Elmira. And he reportedly only built that because his wife drug all his inventory out of the house and onto the front porch.

He bought from where he could, principally Germany and England, until the tariffs were enacted in 1891.

Regardless of where that set was made, it would not have been required to be marked with a country of origin until 1891.

I know of no pocketknives with an Elmira stamp and Tom Kalcevic did not list such a stamp in Knives Can Talk!

Congratulations. That is a nice set.

I would assume Millard and multiple of his children, both male and female, might have handled that. They were all involved in storing, packing and shipping of the merchandise.

And I have no idea how that apparatus on the fork was meant to be used. I always thought it was a stand to keep the greasy fork and knife off the wife's table cloth...

Charlie

Here is a photo of some workers in another of Millard Robeson's business interests.

This plant, of which there were two, was fully capable of stamping out blades and those handles on your set and silver plating them.

The second photo predates the first, as it is id'd as Rochester Stamping Works, not Robeson-Rochester Corporation.

Note the smaller sign on the wall of the porch.

Those are the sales representatives.

The address was 12 Saratoga Street, Rochester, New York.

Charlie

Charlie, thank you so much for your insight and history and photos.
Great stuff from the Heart of Dixie.