"Old Knives"

Fodderwing · Jul 9, 2018

I think I finally have something to contribute. Tang mark - Schmidt & Peters / New York. Other side marked - Vom Cleff & Co / Germany. The little I could find revealed Schmidt & Peters as an importer of wine in the late 1800's til around 1900. The scales appear to be ivory to me. Please feel free to correct any of this if I am in error and I'd love any further info.
Also - it is my understanding that this (may) be considered a lobster even though just two blades???

Levine mentions a two-blade version.

Ramrodmb · Jul 9, 2018

Nice one Dwight! :thumbsup:

Hard to tell between bone and Ivory from here.

JohnDF · Jul 9, 2018

Fodderwing said:
View attachment 942096

Very cool knife, it most definitely wins the phallic award.

Fodderwing · Jul 9, 2018

Ramrodmb said:
Nice one Dwight!
Hard to tell between bone and Ivory from here.

Thanks Mark. Yeah, I agree about the bone or ivory and I am simply too much of a novice to know for sure. I'm trying to think positive

... until someone shoots it down...

Seriously I'm hoping maybe Jack or one of the many other experts will be able to tell.

JohnDF said:
Very cool knife, it most definitely wins the phallic award.

Thanks and lol...

Henry Beige · Jul 9, 2018

JohnDF said:
Very cool knife, it most definitely wins the phallic award.

Ima say bone.

Campbellclanman · Jul 9, 2018

Bone Im sure as there are no vessels ( that you see so prominent Mark side - 2nd photo from top ) in Ivory.

Fodderwing · Jul 9, 2018

Alas amigos... then tis bone. I appreciate the responses. I surely do love this little knife.

glennbad · Jul 9, 2018

Dwight, what a wonderful knife! Wonder if the bolsters/shape have any certain meaning, or if they are just fancy?

Fodderwing · Jul 9, 2018

glennbad said:
Dwight, what a wonderful knife! Wonder if the bolsters/shape have any certain meaning, or if they are just fancy?

Thanks Glenn. I don't know but I can say the knife is very heavy for it's size. Seems to be well made and solid. The offset pivot pin is swinging a large thick triangular shaped file.

herder · Jul 9, 2018

That is a wonderful and pretty unusual pattern, which you could call a "Dog Bone Lobster" model. It is indeed a very old knife dating to around 1900.
Always hard to tell from a picture, but I would lean towards bone over ivory on your model.
Enclosed is a similar styled German knife from an 1899 catalog. The description says: "Ivory handles with two blades and a nail file".

View attachment 942336

veitsi_poika · Jul 9, 2018

Fodderwing said:
I think I finally have something to contribute. Tang mark - Schmidt & Peters / New York. Other side marked - Vom Cleff & Co / Germany. The little I could find revealed Schmidt & Peters as an importer of wine in the late 1800's til around 1900. The scales appear to be ivory to me. Please feel free to correct any of this if I am in error and I'd love any further info.
Also - it is my understanding that this (may) be considered a lobster even though just two blades??? View attachment 942095 View attachment 942096 View attachment 942097 View attachment 942098 Levine mentions a two-blade version.

Nice knife Dwight

Goins lists Vom Cleff & Co as being c.1885-1926 and Price & Zalesky say they were importers c.1887-1930. Their offices were at 105 Duane St in New York City which was next door to H Boker & Co located at 101-103 Duane St. Below are a couple of neat excerpts I found:

From 1902 (The Iron Age Vol 69):

From 1908 (Successful German-Americans and Their Descendants):

From 1917 (The American Cutler):

herder · Jul 9, 2018

Good information, V. P.

Fodderwing · Jul 9, 2018

herder said:
That is a wonderful and pretty unusual pattern, which you could call a "Dog Bone Lobster" model. It is indeed a very old knife dating to around 1900.
Always hard to tell from a picture, but I would lean towards bone over ivory on your model.
Enclosed is a similar styled German knife from an 1899 catalog. The description says: "Ivory handles with two blades and a nail file".

View attachment 942336

Thank you much for the response. I appreciate the added information about the pattern.

Fodderwing · Jul 9, 2018

veitsi_poika said:
Nice knife Dwight Goins lists Vom Cleff & Co as being c.1885-1926 and Price & Zalesky say they were importers c.1887-1930. Their offices were at 105 Duane St in New York City which was next door to H Boker & Co located at 101-103 Duane St. Below are a couple of neat excerpts I found:

From 1902 (The Iron Age Vol 69):

View attachment 942340

From 1908 (Successful German-Americans and Their Descendants):

View attachment 942341

From 1917 (The American Cutler):

View attachment 942342

Kevin you are so kind to search out and provide me with so much excellent info. Thank you!

veitsi_poika · Jul 9, 2018

Fodderwing said:
Alas amigos... then tis bone. I appreciate the responses. I surely do love this little knife.

It mentions they imported some from France which made me wonder if it may be "French Ivory" aka celluloid made to represent ivory. Although to me the pattern in your knife does not appear to be as uniform as the French Ivory patterns. Just wanted to put that out there for discussion. The time period is right, but I'm thinking bone too.

*ADDED: not that French Ivory was French but it triggered the thought

Augie · Jul 10, 2018

Good information on the French Ivory Kevin.

Added this Cattaraugus Boys knife this week, early, hammered pins, no pattern number, close to unused with some rust spots, full blades with nice swedges.

blademan 13 · Jul 10, 2018

Augie , great knife with the mark side bone especially nice! :thumbsup:

black mamba · Jul 10, 2018

Terrific, Augie!

Campbellclanman · Jul 10, 2018

That’s a beautiful ol Catt there Augie my friend. Nice find.

Half/Stop · Jul 10, 2018

Augie It’s been said that your new Catt is a beauty!

Let’s just say I’m in total agreement! :thumbsup:

"Old Knives"

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