Humongous 11 inch NY Walden Pocket Knife

[Kari]

We got a very large pocket knife at an auction
about 6 years ago. We can't seem to find much
information about it. Does anyone know anything
about this knife?

It is an 11 inch two blade pocket knife.
When the blades are open it is 26.5 inches long.
It is quite heavy and the body seems to be
made of a dark hardwood. We are guessing it
was a salesman sample or promotional display
knife for a store. The smaller blade says:

New York
Knife Co.
Walden

Any idea what kind of time frame this would have
been made? Value? How many were produced? We
bought it in Placerville, ID for $130. This
is a tiny town that was once a booming town
during the gold rush. The store owner passed
away and his belongings were sold. My husband
had admired the knife during his entire
childhood and finally got to purchase it about
40 years later. A real love story !!!

[orvet]

Kari,
This is the right forum.
LT should be along before too long and have a comment or two on your knife.

Dale

[lt632ret]

Your knife was a hardware display knife the New York Knife Co was a company started by disgruntled cutlers who left Waterville Ct in 1852 to begin the New York Knife company in 1852 in Mattewan NY on the east bank of the Hudson river across from Newburgh NY . In 1854 the people of Walden NY a small village on the west side of the Hudson enticed the company to move to Walden. In fact the whole village came in wagons across the river and moved them ( to get the industry into there town) New york Knife was in business until 1931, it was one of the most famous companies ever to produce knives in the USA Walden eventually became known as the little Sheffield of America. Having at one point 3 major knife companies The history involved is quite lengthy and would literaly fill a book in fact I have done just that over the years between articles and postings . Your knife is missing one of the bails ( metal loop ) it should have two. It was hung by both loops as a display in hardware stores ( I will post a pic of mine to show you ). The later ones carried a Hammer logo as well as an NYK. So yours is an early one. figure 1900 or around there give or take.. The book on these knives is 2000 dollars however recently I have seen them sell under a 1000. But knives are at this moment, a bit down. Either way you did ok. If you need any more info please let me know it happens to be a topic I have spent 50+ years researching. PS attached is the original company picture of NYK taken in 1903 when the Fuller Bros bought the company from congressional medal winner Col Tom Bradley up till then a lithograph of the company was used see attached. The photo is the original from the company office. I also included a pic of the factory from the fortys after it closed and before it was razed. Note the 1903 pic is famous because it is quite large and taken with a coffin glass plate camera there were only around 3 in the country in 1903. In NY Chicago and San Francisco.The pic after it was developed was mailed to Walden and framed by a workman if you look close you can see the knot hole and plank lines from over 100 years ( these are still holding on the back ). It still has the original arm and hammer logo tape holding it in place. NYK produced some of the best cutlery ever made in this country. They and the other two companies from Walden produced (at one time up to 80 percent of all the knives being sold in this country ). I am right in the middle of about six things going on but I wanted to get this cursory post out to you however once again just let me know if you would like any more info. LT PS I amended the date in this post NYK was in business untill 1931 not 1924. Like I said I am doing about 6 things at once sorry. Thankyou Russ for the email pointing it out.

[Kari]

Thank you SO much for sharing your wisdom !!! As you know the story is just as important as the knife itself. I am sure this knife hung in the old Placerville Store, which is still in business today, during the gold rush. In later years it was laying in a dusty old display case. Jess always looked for it. When the owner of the store announced the auction you can bet Jess was excited. We had to get there early to try and spot the knife. Jess was like a little kid when he saw the knife. (A little kid in their mid-40s is fun to watch.)

Thanks again LT !!!
Kari

[Kari]

Wow, the knife factory looks like the Emerald City or a castle. Not bad for a group of disgruntleds..........

[Kari]

Are the buildings still there?

[lt632ret]

No in the fortys the building was burned as an eyesore and danger then taken down. As a Kid I would walk across High bridge and stare at the ruins on my way to school and wonder about its history. LT

[Gr8Scout]

A fantastic knife and great history. Thanks Kari for bringing your knife to us to admire and learn about. Thanks LT as usual you came through.
Phil

[orvet]

Thanks for another great history lesson and answering a new members question LT.
As usual, I learned something from your post.

If I continue to learn all this stuff my brain will soon fill up. Then I will have to add on an external hard drive for my brain.

Thanks,
Dale