All About Pocket Knives

Can anyone provide some information abou this old Thornton pocket knife?

Thornton knives date c. 1944-1949. They are not high quality knives and don't command much money with the exception of the picture handled knives they made. The picture handles were actual photographs under a layer of clear celluloid. The nude or cheesecake type photos will bring the most money.

I have one just like yours with red handles that is 3 5/16" overall length closed. I paid $3 for it at the local fleamarket. I believe the pattern would be called a shadow pen, as the pins go thru the handles and it has no bolsters.

I have a green handled one. I gave $3 for mine at a garage sale.

doglegg wrote:I have a green handled one. I gave $3 for mine at a garage sale.

I think that establishes that they are worth about $3. lol

OC we must shop the same places with the same budget.

Resurrecting this old thread for probably just a very brief moment. This knife was one out of a group of three knives that I bought. Bought for one particular knife. This knife is not that particular knife. This knife is tang stamped THORNTON (over) U.S.A. and it has two blades. It measures 3 5/8" closed and 6 1/8" with main blade open. Goins says circa 1944 - 1948/49, a trademark used by Federal Knife Company. I gave it a complete, gentle cleaning. I took a few pictures and here is the knife.

Here are a couple of Thornton knives I own. The tickler has one piece aluminum bolsters & liners.The clear celluloid was warped pretty badly but I managed to straighten it by clamping it down and very carefully using a hair dryer on it to soften the handle.Doesn't show any signs of degradation so it may not be true celluloid but some other form of plastic.
The serpentine jack seems to have been modified by the owner at some time by inserting their own pictures under one handle. The other side has the standard bathing beauty.

knife7knut wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:49 pm Here are a couple of Thornton knives.....

NICE variety of THORNTON knives you've got there knife7knut.
I noticed that the tang stamp on your knives and the tang stamp on the original post's knife is curved.
The tang stamp on the knife that I posted is straight. Which is older or does it matter?

New_Windsor_NY wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2020 9:17 pm

knife7knut wrote: ↑Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:49 pm Here are a couple of Thornton knives.....

NICE variety of THORNTON knives you've got there knife7knut.
I noticed that the tang stamp on your knives and the tang stamp on the original post's knife is curved.
The tang stamp on the knife that I posted is straight. Which is older or does it matter?

Thanks for the kind words. I'm not certain about which is which.I don't think they were in business all that long.