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Bartender, Waiters, Fountain, Stanhopes

Okay, let's see'em. Plenty of knives have can openers, cap lifters, and corkscrews but only a certain knives were made specifically for tending bar! Show off your bartender knives! The earliest Bartenders are often called Stanhopes.

Stanhope refers to a small peephole with a small lens located in the handle of a knife which is used to view a micro-photograph which is located inside the handle. Popular on old German made bartender knives. The knives are often called Stanhope knives. These were made famous by two wonderful gentleman, neither of them being René Dagron; inventor of the Stanhope lens. They were two German immigrants to America, one Anheuser Busch and the other Adolph Kastor. Most people will recongnize the first person as everyone has heard of Budweiser Beer. The second name should be known to anyone who dabbles in cutlery as Adolph Kastor founded Camillus Cutlery. Early in his career, Mr. Kastor developed and patented a way to put a folding corkscrew on the back of a knife. He then partnered with Mr. Busch and started marketing this novel little contraption through Mr. Busch's distributors. At the time, bottled beers in the house were unknown. As a matter of fact, the crown cork (better known today as a bottle cap) had not been invented yet. This is why early bartender knives lack a cap lifter! Overtime, the bartender knives evloved. Most were used as promotional advertisment for various distilleries, breweries, businesses, and taverns. Many are inexpensive, some are quite expensive. All are welcome as all have a place in history.

I'm sure someone out there will post some of the early Busch/Kastor German made Stanhopes but all I have are two modern era ones. The one below is from Hen & Roosters 160th anniversary.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 25, 2015 at 8:19

awww, the Stanhopes! Just 2 weeks ago at the Dalton show Mark Zalesky had a few for sale. A very rare Busch with 2 stanhope lens was there. I have often though this should be revived. What if you could personalize your knife by adding a picture of a loved one?

Permalink Reply by tim payne on March 25, 2015 at 19:43

knice looking piece you have tobias

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on March 26, 2015 at 11:01

Thanks, Tim. But it pales in comparison to the old Busch/Kastor Stanhopes.

Permalink Reply by Tobias Gibson on March 26, 2015 at 11:12

As you can expect, Victorinox has made a few bartender knives. Of course any Swiss Army Knife with a can opener, cap lifter and screw driver has the tools found on a bartenders but Victorinox makes a specific knife called the Waiter's Knife that is intended specifically for use by waiters and bartenders.

The knife is made on the 84 mm frame, and features a combo tool a single blade and a corkscrew.