Welcome Home...THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY

This was my grandfather's knife, well used, but in good condition. 

I have not been able to identify the maker, and would appreciate any information you might provide.

Best,

Patrick Butler

This my first post, and I would like to add a couple more photos.

Tags: German, corkscrew, grandpas, knife

Views: 323

Attachments:

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Germany seems to produces a fair number of corkscrews for their knives... even hunting knives. Thank you for posting.

Can't shed any light on the maker, but it is a nice bartender knife.

Very nice old bartender's knife .. Sweet !!!

.

What's the inlay material .. Ivory / synthetic ?

.

No clue on the maker.

I do think it's German made though.

.

Enjoy a safe New Year.

D ale

Thank you all very much for all of your replies.

I believe that the knife is pre WW II. My grandfather was born in 1876 in Iowa and was a Republican State Senator, living in North Dakota. 

The blades are very well worn, and it was passed on to my father when he died. My father carried it daily, for about twenty years, to clean his pipe, then put it away for me in the late 1960's. I received from my grandfather this knife and a Winchester Model 12 with a serial number in four figures-also well used.

The inlay is ivory (or bone) with what looks to be a silver composition frame.

I always wondered what that serrated small blade was for. Given the cork screw, a bartender's knife makes good sense.

The interesting thing is that his wife was a leader in the temperance movement, and alcohol was not allowed in the house. However, my father recalled that is father kept a bar in one of the out-houses on their farm.

Regarding the stamp on two sides of W. P., there was a William Porter earlier in the family, but I doubt that the knife is that old.

Happy New Year to all,

Patrick Butler

Tobias Gibson has a page, on his site, on Bartender Knives...

http://blindkat.hegewisch.net/RRR/bar-knife-hist.html

Patrick-Your bartenders knife is in this case is more accurately called a champagne knife. The small curved blade is a foil cutter blade for cutting the foil on a champagne bottle. The serrated edge made it easier to cut through the foil. I, too believe it is most likely pre WWII. I'm not 100% certain as to the maker, but my best guess is Wilhelm Pfeiffer & Co. of Solingen, Germany. There is not a great deal I can find out about this company, but apparently they were best known for tableware and other serving ware, much of which was silver plated.They did also make knives and tableware for the Third Reich during WWII. Some of there tableware was in the art deco style that was popular from 1910-1940,so I would assume that they were in business from the the early 1900's to sometime around WWII. I haven't found another champagne knife made by them, but it would not not be too big of a stretch to surmise that they might make such an item. Their normal makers mark was W.P. & Co. in block letters, but the & Co. might have been left off because of space restrictions on the blade. Here is an example of their makers mark I found on the internet. BTW, Besteckfabrik translates to cutlery factory.

John:

Thank you very much for your reply. This site is, as you demonstrate, a great resource.

I assumed that the pocket knife was of some basic quality, given my paternal grandfather's habits and it's weight.

Patrick

Reply to Discussion

RSS

White River Knives

Latest Activity

Lars Ray commented on Lino Rodoni's photo
2 hours ago

KnifeMaker
Doug Ritter posted discussions
8 hours ago

KnifeMaker
Andy Larrison replied to Craig Henry's discussion Case SodBuster in the group Case Fans
11 hours ago

KnifeMaker
Andy Larrison replied to Craig Henry's discussion Case SodBuster in the group Case Fans
11 hours ago

KnifeMaker
Andy Larrison replied to Andy Larrison's discussion Case Medium Toothpick in the group Case Fans
12 hours ago
Lino Rodoni posted photos
12 hours ago
Kevin D replied to Andy Larrison's discussion Case Medium Toothpick in the group Case Fans
21 hours ago
J.J. Smith III left a comment for FRANK HASKELL
yesterday
FRANK HASKELL is now a member of iKnife Collector
yesterday

KnifeMaker
Andy Larrison replied to Andy Larrison's discussion Case Medium Toothpick in the group Case Fans
yesterday

KnifeMaker
Andy Larrison replied to Andy Larrison's discussion Case Medium Toothpick in the group Case Fans
yesterday

KnifeMaker
Andy Larrison added a discussion to the group Case Fans
yesterday

KnifeMaker
Andy Larrison replied to Craig Henry's discussion STAG Handled Case Knives in the group Case Fans
yesterday

KnifeMaker
Andy Larrison replied to Andy Larrison's discussion Case Razor....2024 Vault Release and years Prior in the group Case Fans
yesterday
Jan Carter posted a status
"April 23, 2025 United States v Douglas Nelson ! tonights 8PM chat"
Wednesday
Robert Reeves replied to Robert Reeves's discussion Puma 6385 Trapper's Companion knife. Right-handed. Want to sell - UK
Apr 22

© 2025   Created by Jan Carter.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service