Another Way to Collect Knives
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 6:03 pm
I am also a stamp collector and I've been on the lookout for knife-related philatelic items. As it turns out lots of knives have been depicted on stamps; seems like fixed blades much more than pocket knives.
As many of you know the town of Thiers in central France has been the center of French cutlery for hundreds of years. In 1987 France released a commemorative stamp honoring Thiers' cutlery history. When stamps are released the issuing country typically offers envelopes franked on the first day of issue (called First Day Covers). Very often these are decorated with fancy graphics called cachets ("cashays") to appeal to collectors.
Two such FDCs for the 1987 release are shown below. A couple of things to note. You can see on the stamp and on the cachet of the first cover that the cutlery workers are working in the prone position. It seems like most every photo I've seen of U.S. or Sheffield cutlery workers are similar to the third photo which shows the workers sitting. I have no idea if the prone position was ever popular here or if the sitting position was ever popular in France.
Second, the building shown on the first cover's cachet is the Pirou Castle, the most famous building in Thiers. It was built as a stately home in 1410 and now houses a visitor's center. The French have even designed a knife pattern named after Pirou Castle. You can see it in the last photo. Note the design element on the top (see arrow) depicts the famous building.
Collecting stamps and covers can be a nice little diversion from collecting the real deal. (Lots cheaper too!)
Dennis
As many of you know the town of Thiers in central France has been the center of French cutlery for hundreds of years. In 1987 France released a commemorative stamp honoring Thiers' cutlery history. When stamps are released the issuing country typically offers envelopes franked on the first day of issue (called First Day Covers). Very often these are decorated with fancy graphics called cachets ("cashays") to appeal to collectors.
Two such FDCs for the 1987 release are shown below. A couple of things to note. You can see on the stamp and on the cachet of the first cover that the cutlery workers are working in the prone position. It seems like most every photo I've seen of U.S. or Sheffield cutlery workers are similar to the third photo which shows the workers sitting. I have no idea if the prone position was ever popular here or if the sitting position was ever popular in France.
Second, the building shown on the first cover's cachet is the Pirou Castle, the most famous building in Thiers. It was built as a stately home in 1410 and now houses a visitor's center. The French have even designed a knife pattern named after Pirou Castle. You can see it in the last photo. Note the design element on the top (see arrow) depicts the famous building.
Collecting stamps and covers can be a nice little diversion from collecting the real deal. (Lots cheaper too!)
Dennis
Thanks Dennis! 
