- Joined
- Oct 7, 2017
- Messages
- 360
A while back I saw two knives come up for auction. They seemed like they might have an interesting back-story and they did. As per codger:
On December 23rd, 1899, 28 year old Bertha Schiffer Baer was having labor pains and attended by her husband the 38 year old vinegar merchant, Max Baer. Early the next morning, December 24th, 1899, Henry Bodenheim Baer was born, eventually to known to the world as "Uncle Henry"
When Max married Bertha in 1899 the Baer and Schiffer clans were brought together. 87 years later, in 1986, the Baer and Schiffer families had a well organized family reunion. How do I know?
It seems Albert and/or Henry Baer gave out (at least) two different Schrade knives to commemorate the occasion. All these years later a gentleman who attended the reunion decided to sell these knives.
I asked him for any/all info about the reunion and this was his reply:
"As for the reunion, yes, I was there along with my family. My mother was a Schiffer. The reunion was the only one that I know of. It was organized by a woman (I think it was Karla Baer) who had done a huge genealogy of the whole family and this was to allow us all to see the connections. I have no idea how many knives were given out. Quite frankly I couldn't give you any real information as to how many people were in attendance. Maybe 40-50 people, but it's only a guess. It was so long ago. We were focusing on our side and seeing all the houses that the Schiffers lived in and getting together with our closest cousins. I am sorry that I don't have the answers you were looking for. I will be packing up the knife today, it has been a busy week and my schedule has been wacky. Enjoy the knife, thanks for caring so much.
(Reunion) was held in New York City where most of the ancestors had lived. It even had visits arranged so we could see the houses where they had lived. It was fun."
That's the Baer story. I saved pics of both knives so I can show you both of them.
On December 23rd, 1899, 28 year old Bertha Schiffer Baer was having labor pains and attended by her husband the 38 year old vinegar merchant, Max Baer. Early the next morning, December 24th, 1899, Henry Bodenheim Baer was born, eventually to known to the world as "Uncle Henry"
When Max married Bertha in 1899 the Baer and Schiffer clans were brought together. 87 years later, in 1986, the Baer and Schiffer families had a well organized family reunion. How do I know?
It seems Albert and/or Henry Baer gave out (at least) two different Schrade knives to commemorate the occasion. All these years later a gentleman who attended the reunion decided to sell these knives.
I asked him for any/all info about the reunion and this was his reply:
"As for the reunion, yes, I was there along with my family. My mother was a Schiffer. The reunion was the only one that I know of. It was organized by a woman (I think it was Karla Baer) who had done a huge genealogy of the whole family and this was to allow us all to see the connections. I have no idea how many knives were given out. Quite frankly I couldn't give you any real information as to how many people were in attendance. Maybe 40-50 people, but it's only a guess. It was so long ago. We were focusing on our side and seeing all the houses that the Schiffers lived in and getting together with our closest cousins. I am sorry that I don't have the answers you were looking for. I will be packing up the knife today, it has been a busy week and my schedule has been wacky. Enjoy the knife, thanks for caring so much.
(Reunion) was held in New York City where most of the ancestors had lived. It even had visits arranged so we could see the houses where they had lived. It was fun."
That's the Baer story. I saved pics of both knives so I can show you both of them.
