I have no clue about this knife other than my dad gave it to me so it has to be from the 50's to the 80's. It is 3 1/4 inches long with a main blade length of 2 1/8 inches. It has a small plaque that says Platinum Edge on it and the knife is a grey/very light blue/almost silver handle. Its a folding knife, two blades. The main blade is inscribed with "Stainless, Imperial, Prov. U.S.A." and the secondary blade is inscribed with "Stainless." I would post a pic but I don't have a digital camera for it so anything you can find out, let me know.
Erik
Unknown Knife
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longbeachbum
- Posts: 381
- Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 8:44 pm
- Location: Long Beach, CA
By coincidence, I recently received an Imperial knife with Prov. USA stamped on the tang, which my mother gave me and told me it was carried by my grandfather. The handles resemble mother of pearl. It has one clip point blade and the other "blade" is actually a car key.
I was naturally eager to determine if this knife was of any collector value. Based on the limited research I've done, I've determined that Imperial knives are of little to no collector value, and the "mother of pearl" handles on this one are actually plastic. The only value this knife has is sentimental.
I'm no expert but I'm guessing yours is similar in nature, i.e. little to no collector value. Still, it's cool to have a knife handed down in your family.
I was naturally eager to determine if this knife was of any collector value. Based on the limited research I've done, I've determined that Imperial knives are of little to no collector value, and the "mother of pearl" handles on this one are actually plastic. The only value this knife has is sentimental.
I'm no expert but I'm guessing yours is similar in nature, i.e. little to no collector value. Still, it's cool to have a knife handed down in your family.
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El Lobo
- Gold Tier
- Posts: 3036
- Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 4:47 pm
- Location: Arizona, right here in the U.S. of A.
Imperial was once the largest cutlery manufacturer, sometimes producing as many as 100,000 knives per day....according to Mr. Houston Price and his collector's guide.
The company started up in 1917....merged with Schrade, and Ulster in 1947......and eventually became Imperial Schrade Corporation in 1984.....only to go bankrupt last July.....
Bad news....there are about a gazillion of these knives out there, so unless it's New, in the box, never carried, not much collector value.
Good news....you have a piece of United States cutlery history, passed down through your family.
Enjoy it...
Bill
The company started up in 1917....merged with Schrade, and Ulster in 1947......and eventually became Imperial Schrade Corporation in 1984.....only to go bankrupt last July.....
Bad news....there are about a gazillion of these knives out there, so unless it's New, in the box, never carried, not much collector value.
Good news....you have a piece of United States cutlery history, passed down through your family.
Enjoy it...
Bill