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Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 11:00 pm
by New_Windsor_NY
I need assistance in completing the tang stamp posted below.
I hate it when it's the first few letters that are not legible or
completely missing. What I do know is this.....
Is It A Three Line Tang Stamp?
????.DIST.AG. or ????.DIST.AC.
DES MOINES
GERMANY
So, What Does The First Line Say?
Is That Actually The First Line?
***** DECEMBER 25, EDIT *****
It is a two blade, advertising pocket knife.
The main handle side says, "PAYNE MOTOR CO."
The other handle side says, "PAIGE - JEWETT"
Per Wikipedia.....
"The Jewett was an automobile built in Detroit, Michigan by the
Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company from March 1922 through December 1926."
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2024 10:28 pm
by SwedgeHead
New_Windsor_NY wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 11:00 pm
I need assistance in completing the tang stamp posted below.
I hate it when it's the first few letters that are not legible or
completely missing. What I do know is this.....
Is It A Three Line Tang Stamp?
????.DIST.AG. or ????.DIST.AC.
DES MOINES
GERMANY
So, What Does The First Line Say?
Is That Actually The First Line?
***** DECEMBER 25, EDIT *****
It is a two blade, advertising pocket knife.
The main handle side says, "PAYNE MOTOR CO."
The other handle side says, "PAIGE - JEWETT"
Per Wikipedia.....
"The Jewett was an automobile built in Detroit, Michigan by the
Paige-Detroit Motor Car Company from March 1922 through December 1926."
so I plugged away at this one for a bit, striking out a couple times.
What I found though is that there are few to none, references to Des Moines Germany. Leading me to beleive that Germany is the country of origin, but Des Moines is a label and not associated to Germany.
Further, I found reference to Dist.Ag as District of Agriculture, which makes sense for Des Moines.
I think the remaining piece of the puzzle is whatever comes before Dist.Ag. Guessing a lot, but maybe this helps.
Lay a thin strip of paper over the stamp and do a pencil rub, you might get more.
Have fun, thanks for the challenge.
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 12:25 am
by New_Windsor_NY
Thank you, SwedgeHead.
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 12:51 am
by gsmith7158
I can't make much sense of it but I'm pretty sure AG. Indicate a stock company in Germany.
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 1:36 am
by New_Windsor_NY
Thank you, Greg.
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 3:48 am
by just bob
Did a little looking. How about the bottom reading Des Moines / & Harmony. Harmony is a bit of a mystery but maybe an early knife maker there? They are fairly close together.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story ... 110669548/
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 4:06 am
by New_Windsor_NY
just bob wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 3:48 am
Did.....
Thank you, just bob.
I found the first picture posted below, here on AAPK.
While this tang stamp is NOT identical to mine, it is
similar to it. I do believe mine says, "GERMANY" and
not "HARMONY" But, who knows.....
***** EDIT *****
I added the bottom picture (#3) on Tuesday, December 31, 2024 at 9:15 A.M. P.S.T.
It is NOT My Item. It is NOT My Picture.
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 1:54 pm
by wlf
A lot of great researchers and researching.
I may put you guys on the trail of a farmers jack I have.
This should be an ongoing thread Skip.
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 3:10 pm
by New_Windsor_NY
wlf wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 1:54 pm
A.....
Thank you, Lyle.
Whether or not this topic or thread remains ongoing,
is not up to me. Believe me, I would love to see EVERY
tang stamp question consolidated under one "roof."
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 6:39 pm
by wlf
Well here's another . 4" bone handled farmers jack.
A different filter on the pruning blade and one of the spey.
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 7:30 pm
by New_Windsor_NY
wlf wrote: ↑Tue Dec 31, 2024 6:39 pm
Well.....
Lyle, I know absolutely nothing about "farmers jack"
pattern or style of pocket knives. I know even less
about what companies manufactured them.
But, could it be VOOS CUTLERY
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 10:55 pm
by wlf
Thanks Skip.I don't understand why the pictures won't enlarge.
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Wed Jan 01, 2025 12:05 am
by luckydog
Try holding the "CTRL" key down on your key board and roll the mouse wheel up or down at the same time, it should enlarge or shrink the image.This works on most images.
Luckydog
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2025 4:48 pm
by WillHus
Hey. Sorry to revisit this if you have moved on, but I just nabbed a cigar pattern on an EBAY auction with the tang stamp "MFRS. DISTR. AGOY" and "Des Moines GERMANY". I am also trying to figure out more about its history. Has a nice bowtie shield and looks like ebony wood on the pics provided.
Re: Can You Complete This Tang Stamp?
Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2025 9:47 pm
by WillHus
I looked the pics of the one I ordered again. It says "MFRS.DISTR.AGCY". I assume Manufacturer's Distribution Agency. Maybe a company in Des Moines was importing German knives without branding before the US officially entered WW2? Or the decade leading up to it? Wish someone had an idea because my Google searches have been fruitless
