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More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 4:19 pm
by Rookie
This knife found it's way to me. It was in a box of junk at an auction. I cleaned some of the bad rust off the blades. The handles aren't in too bad of shape. I liked the ornate insets on the front handle. The small blade has no markings. The large blade says "Rather & Co." on the front, and on the rear has something written I can't make out, and "Slovakia" under that.
Does anyone recognize what the word over Slovakia could say?
The knife is pretty neat sleeveboard shape. Measures 3 3/8 inch closed. I'm guessing it's from the 1930-1950 age range somewhere.
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 4:27 pm
by Rookie
I was able to find a few similar looking knives online, using a reverse image search, however none of them are the same brand.
First one is listed as Westfield MFG Germany measures 2 1/2 inch.
2nd one is United Cutlery stamped Austria. The listing said it was 1901-1920 range.
3rd one is again United Cutlery, Austria. They say it is horn handles. 1908-1922.
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 4:30 pm
by New_Windsor_NY
Rookie wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 4:19 pm
This.....
Here are two different tang stamps on two of my knives.
But, they are NOT Rather & Cᴏ̲
Yours "may" have been similar to one of them.
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 6:16 pm
by Mumbleypeg
Rookie wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 4:19 pm
This knife found it's way to me. It was in a box of junk at an auction. I cleaned some of the bad rust off the blades. The handles aren't in too bad of shape. I liked the ornate insets on the front handle. The small blade has no markings. The large blade says "Rather & Co." on the front, and on the rear has something written I can't make out, and "Slovakia" under that.
Does anyone recognize what the word over Slovakia could say?
The knife is pretty neat sleeveboard shape. Measures 3 3/8 inch closed. I'm guessing it's from the 1930-1950 age range somewhere.
Here’s my similar, maybe identical Rather & Co. pen knife. Can’t read the the pile side stamp on it either.
Ken
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 6:31 pm
by Rookie
New_Windsor_NY wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 4:30 pm
Rookie wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 4:19 pm
This.....
Here are two different tang stamps on two of my knives.
But, they are NOT Rather & Cᴏ̲
Yours "may" have been similar to one of them.
I can make out a few letters, I don't think it says Czecho but it is extremely difficult to make out. I had my daughter and wife both spend a lot of time trying to decipher it, and in the end we all gave up trying.
Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 6:16 pm
Rookie wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 4:19 pm
This knife found it's way to me. It was in a box of junk at an auction. I cleaned some of the bad rust off the blades. The handles aren't in too bad of shape. I liked the ornate insets on the front handle. The small blade has no markings. The large blade says "Rather & Co." on the front, and on the rear has something written I can't make out, and "Slovakia" under that.
Does anyone recognize what the word over Slovakia could say?
The knife is pretty neat sleeveboard shape. Measures 3 3/8 inch closed. I'm guessing it's from the 1930-1950 age range somewhere.
Here’s my similar, maybe identical Rather & Co. pen knife. Can’t read the the pile side stamp on it either.
Ken
Amazing Ken that we have twin knives from that long ago. It does look to be an exact match of mine.
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2025 10:21 pm
by Rookie
Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 6:16 pm
Rookie wrote: ↑Sat Apr 19, 2025 4:19 pm
This knife found it's way to me. It was in a box of junk at an auction. I cleaned some of the bad rust off the blades. The handles aren't in too bad of shape. I liked the ornate insets on the front handle. The small blade has no markings. The large blade says "Rather & Co." on the front, and on the rear has something written I can't make out, and "Slovakia" under that.
Does anyone recognize what the word over Slovakia could say?
The knife is pretty neat sleeveboard shape. Measures 3 3/8 inch closed. I'm guessing it's from the 1930-1950 age range somewhere.
Here’s my similar, maybe identical Rather & Co. pen knife. Can’t read the the pile side stamp on it either.
Ken
Is the handle black cow horn? With mine I thought it was just a dark wood with a lot of grain striations.
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2025 12:15 am
by Mumbleypeg
It's wood. Mine has some striping in it, sorta like zabrawood.
Ken
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2025 9:38 pm
by Miller Bro's
Both knives have horn handles.
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 2:04 am
by Rookie
Miller Bro's wrote: ↑Mon Apr 21, 2025 9:38 pm
Both knives have horn handles.
Thanks. Sometimes with these very old knives it is very hard to tell.
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 3:34 am
by Lars0729
Have you guys seen this one here on AAPK?
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/ca ... t_id=98524
This one is an A.W. Wadsworth & Son model. Looks very close to both of yours...makes me wonder if the style/pattern wasn't under license to several manufacturers. If we keep digging, we'll probably find some made by Gurlach as well. (Yea...I had to drop a Polish name in there!)
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 4:52 am
by Mumbleypeg
Thanks Lars. That’s interesting. Confirms Wadsworth is likely the maker of the two shown in this thread. Pretty sure mine is not celluloid - I thought it is wood but Dimitri says it is horn, and he’s usually right.
I have several other Rathers, none of which have any other similar stamp or COO markings, but I have long suspected European origin. They may be Wadsworth also, but they don’t say so, and having no COO leads me to believe they are likely older.
Ken
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 11:22 am
by Rookie
Lars0729 wrote: ↑Tue Apr 22, 2025 3:34 am
Have you guys seen this one here on AAPK?
https://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/ca ... t_id=98524
This one is an A.W. Wadsworth & Son model. Looks very close to both of yours...makes me wonder if the style/pattern wasn't under license to several manufacturers. If we keep digging, we'll probably find some made by Gurlach as well. (Yea...I had to drop a Polish name in there!)
Thank you, no I had not saw that one on the AAPK store. Very interesting.
Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑Tue Apr 22, 2025 4:52 am
Thanks Lars. That’s interesting. Confirms Wadsworth is likely the maker of the two shown in this thread. Pretty sure mine is not celluloid - I thought it is wood but Dimitri says it is horn, and he’s usually right.
I have several other Rathers, none of which have any other similar stamp or COO markings, but I have long suspected European origin. They may be Wadsworth also, but they don’t say so, and having no COO leads me to believe they are likely older.
Ken
I showed it on BF as well, and someone commented that they have saw a few others, but never with the "Slovakia" stamp on the blade. Apparently there must be a variety of them floating around out there.
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 6:04 pm
by wlf
Here's my shadow pattern horn handled United Cutlery Austria inlaid folder with a cute hawkbill , to open wine bottles.
Re: More info about Rather & Co Slovakia
Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2025 8:25 pm
by Rookie
wlf wrote: ↑Tue Apr 22, 2025 6:04 pm
Here's my shadow pattern horn handled United Cutlery Austria inlaid folder with a cute hawkbill , to open wine bottles.
Great looking knife Lyle. I'd have liked to been around 80 years ago and got a tour of the factory that was making these knives.