Bulldog Brand Prototype Stockman

[jands40]

Hi Guys,
I have here a Bulldog Brand 3 1/2" stockman marked prototype in script on back of clip blade. Handles are either pearl or imitation(I think imitation, but they have good color) All blades have the fighting dogs tang stamp but no year marking. My question is " when was this knife made?"

[gmusic]

Hi jands40,

I'll jump in first, the pros will need more pictures, close ups.

Thanks for the inquiry..............

[Hukk]

Hi Guys,
I have here a Bulldog Brand 3 1/2" stockman marked prototype in script on back of clip blade. Handles are either pearl or imitation(I think imitation, but they have good color) All blades have the fighting dogs tang stamp but no year marking. My question is " when was this knife made?"

That is a very rare first generation (1978-1987) Prototype and here is a photo of mine. It took quite a while to get the real timeframe down. I had it pegged as a third generation (1993-1995) because of the shield, Jim Parker and Case knives, guess it's easy to make that mistake.
Later I found these in one of Jim Parker's Pocket Knife Trader's Guide, but I don't remember which volumne. Best guesstimate is early 80's, until I can find it in a book again.

Olderdogs1 can probably come up with the name of the color (pearloid, cracked ice?) and may have more information.

Congratualtions, First Generation Prototypes are pretty rare! Your stockman is a little larger than mine.

[olderdogs1]

Hukk has given you real good information on that prototype and Gary is right also, better pictures would help identify the handle material if in fact it can be identified. These prototypes with the oval shield and 1st generation blades show up in several bulldog patterns. Even though they have the old 1st generation blades I am not sure that 1st generation would be the right term since I imagine, although I'm not sure, that Jim Parker had them made around 1990-91 although most people, including myself, refer to them as 1st generation prototypes.
I have seen these knives in a lot of unusual celluloid and natural handles materials so it is hard for me to say without handling the knife or seeing better pictures. Bulldog called the imitation pearl "oyster shell" in the third generation. These early prototypes such as the one you have are the prototypes I value the most in my collection. Nice find.
Tom

[olderdogs1]

After doing a little more research I believe that stockman is identified on page 83, item c. of Volume 3 of Parker's Pocket Knife Trader's guide. Volume 3 is the only volume that has the colored pictures of the bulldogs. It is identified as a 1st Generation Prototype, 3 Blade Allante. I am not sure what Allante stands for, a color or a natural material. Hopefully Hukk can verify whether I am right or wrong when he passes through as I know he has a Volume 3 also.

[Hukk]

Thanks Tom,
Yes, in volumne 3 the top 4 knives to the left of the page. There is both a 3 1/2 and a 3 1/4 inch Allante and Black Pearl. These are the only knives with oval shields. I see other knives listed 2 each of Allante and Black Pearl. Looking at the other knives it only makes sense that Allante is what the color may have been called. Looking at some of the other knives on the page, I see 2 jumbo trappers with a Bulldog Bowtie sheild, a third generation configuration not first using duckfeather and Oystershell celluloids. I see one that is coon stripe that says weird 3 blade, looks like a long 3 blade square bolster stockman.

NOTE: Since I can't see the blade tang stamps, a third generation is merely an "educated" guess. Same for the Red/Black stripe canoe, but these colors aren't first generation normally.

Since it appears that there is some third generation knives in there as well as a second generation Red/Black stripe canoe it does throw the credibility of the picture out the window as far as all being first generation.

Howevever it would appear that the 3 1/4 inch could be a proto of BKC 54 as the blade configuration appears correct. I would assume that the 3 1/2 inch Allante was made at the same time, but I do not recall of a 3 1/2 inch stockman being in production. Since stockman knives of various configurations were Bulldog's first knives, it is certainly possible that the 3 1/2 inch stockman might be a knife that never made it to production. Since sockmans were Bulldogs first knives, I think they may be early 80's knives. Regardless, you possess a True First Generation Prototype that is very rare and may be a proto that never made it to production.

Back to Olderdogs1 on that last paragraph. Need a bit of confirmation as these aren't seen very often. I just can't off the top of my head recall a stockman at 3 1/2 other than a gunstock.

[jands40]

Thanks so much Hukk and OD1. Here's another pic that shows handles better. The handles aren't oystershell, I have an oystershell BD Anglo Saxon whittler and the handles aren't the same. I measured length again on the stockman on my micrometer and it measures dead on 3.5"
Jerry

[arathol]

Allante was a term used for a certain type of pearl handle material. I have one, a 3 5/8" 5 blade sowbelly with what was advertized as pink allante pearl, 1 of 2 or 3 made, can't remember which. Its marked as I remember "prototype" on the back of the blade, but I can't check as it's pack away for moving.

[Hukk]

Thanks so much Hukk and OD1. Here's another pic that shows handles better. The handles aren't oystershell, I have an oystershell BD Anglo Saxon whittler and the handles aren't the same. I measured length again on the stockman on my micrometer and it measures dead on 3.5"
Jerry

It's a really fine first generation prototype, I finally went to the books and found a 3 1/2 inch production 3 blade stockman, a series released in 1986, but I believe your knife was made some what earlier.

They are the BKC 381 through BKC 390, most had a spade shield, the S& D our best had a crest shield and there were some pearl Bulldog Knife Club knives made also that did not have a shield.

BTW, I really like that sowbelly, very nice proto knife.

[jands40]

Thank all of you so much. I've put it back in the keeper box now.
Jerry