All About Pocket Knives

Could someone please tell me who made this Marshall Wells? The stag is John Friese made in Baltimore. Can find zero info in Goins or Google, any comments on it or the Marshall Wells will be appreciated, thanks.

Voyles IBCA states "Contracted knives from NYK, amongst others". Researching the brand some years ago, it seems like I also found a connection to Winchester.

Love the corncob jigging on that beast!


WB

The Marshall Wells at the least has been rehandled.

The coke bottle looks like a NYK pattern that has been re-handled with Culpepper corn cob jigged bone or American Standard jig bone, I can't tell for sure which.

Goins' has Marshall Wells listed as Marshall Wells Had Co. Established 1893 in Duluth Minnesota and in business until about 1963.

Goins also says they sold a wide range of pocket knife brands including Hartford Cutlery, Zenith, Hammer Brand, Wallkill River Works, Dalux and Marbles.

Hammer Brand and Wallkill River Works we're both brands produced by New York Knife Company so it could well be that NYK produced SFOs for Marshall Wells.

I don't think the bone on the Coke bottle is original to the knife. I think it has been re-handled fairly recently.

Thanks for the replies, I thought the Coke had been rehandled also. I guess the other one might be one I won't be able to find anything out about. I like the stag, it has good snap and no wobble will just have to be happy with that. I did some work for a friend and that was the payment.

I'm a rookie at knife collecting/knowledge so have nothing to offer on the origin but have to say they are both very pleasing to look at Bill.
I believe I'd put in a hard day of work for one or two just like either of those.

Thanks Greg, it wasn't a hard days work luckily. I wish the coke bottle hadn't been rehandled, but it is such a solid knife. I don't know how much that hurts the value. I'm like you a rookie, but learning just from reading books and from AAPK. I was hoping there was someone that had info on the stag but I guess not. I have Goins and a couple of other books and no info on it, but it is a good solid knife as well.

BWT wrote:Thanks Greg, it wasn't a hard days work luckily. I wish the coke bottle hadn't been rehandled, but it is such a solid knife. I don't know how much that hurts the value. I'm like you a rookie, but learning just from reading books and from AAPK. I was hoping there was someone that had info on the stag but I guess not. I have Goins and a couple of other books and no info on it, but it is a good solid knife as well.

Coke bottle patterned knives are usually older knives and they seem to be a strong pattern built to take a lot of use and even abuse. New York Knife made very solid knives, so I would be suprised of it were not solid. I have an NYK coke bottle and even half worn out it is a solid old knife.
By owning, handling and using that knife you will learn the feel of a NYK knife. That will help you in assessing other knives in the future.

As for the other knife, my feeling is that it was probably made in Sheffield for a company in Baltimore. The lambs foot blade, the shape of the frame and the beautiful old stag remind me of an old Sheffield knife. I am not an expert on that subject but that is my first reaction to it.

I hope this is helpful...

Thanks Dale very helpful, I just didn't consider that back in the those days with the mode of transportation and communication that could have happened This is what I like about AAPK.
Thanks again for your help.

Probably not related.

http://www.murderbygaslight.com/2016/11 ... lover.html

I guess we will never know but interesting read Charlie, thanks. I googled his name in Baltimore and didn't find anything.

Bill here is an original non modified Marshall Wells Hardware Co. branded Coke Bottle Folding Hunter made by New York Knife Co for their Zenith Line of hunting and camping knives. It has the same shield used by NYKC on many of its large pattern folding knives especially their coke bottle folding hunter.

Dale mentioned some of this in his above post. Marshall Wells Hardware Company was started in Duluth MN in 1892. It was a wholesale hardware company. Sometime around 1917 the hardware part of the company name was dropped and it became just Marshall-Wells. This lock back folder was made by NYKC probably between 1892 and 1917. I have included a page from a 1912 MW Hardware Company catalog showing this exact knife third one down. The blade etch on mine is pretty much faded and worn off but under strong light and magnification it can be seen. My example has the Zenith logo on the front tang (mark side) and Marshall Wells Hardware Company on the reverse or pile side tang.

Hope this helps some. Your two folders are indeed attractive!

Thanks Lloyd, I tried to find a photo in a catalog on Google but had no luck. Yours is a really good looking knife. This one doesn't have Zenith on the tang,or any etching on the blade if it ever had it. I guess when this one was rehandled and put back together, the snap is almost to good if that makes sense and it will break your nails when opening if you aren't careful. Thanks for the info, everyone was really helpful.

. I'm pretty new at this I'm just curious if anyone could tell me about this Hartford cutlery knife I had found it seems pretty solid and looks to be very old

Grusch1987 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 25, 2023 5:20 am 16773023005861167843918891125617.jpg. I'm pretty new at this I'm just curious if anyone could tell me about this Hartford cutlery knife I had found it seems pretty solid and looks to be very old

That is a beautiful knife, with lovely celluloid handles.
I am not familiar with Hartford Cutlery, but I found 4 listing in Goin's Encyclopedia. I cannot make out the place of manufacture below the word "cutlery", but if you can read it and compare it to this list, that should give you more information:

BWT wrote: ↑Sun Jul 29, 2018 12:42 am Could someone please tell me who made this Marshall Wells? The stag is John Friese made in Baltimore. Can find zero info in Goins or Google, any comments on it or the Marshall Wells will be appreciated, thanks.

I found this on google BWT on John friese Baltimore. There is a surgical saw at a museum with the same inscription as your knife. Not sure if helpful or not.
Jimbo

Thanks Jimbo. I will check that out.