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

iKnife Collector

The online community of knife collectors, A Knife Family Forged in Steel

The Magic Circle of Knives

In the early 1900's there really was a magic circle.

Less than 100 miles of two states held all the names we know and love and then some. Competition was strong and only a handful would survive the test of time.

While some of them were "jobbers" and not manufactures they were having their products produced within the circle.

In the 1920's the following companies existed in that 100 mile range

Union Cutlery, Olean, NY Cattaraugus Cutlery, Little Valley, NY W.R. Case & Sons, Bradford, PA

Coleman Cutlery, Titusville, PA Schatt&Morgan, Tiyusville, PA Kinfolks, Little Valley, NY

Cuba Knife Co., Cuba, NY Jess V. Crouch, Titusville, PA Queen City, Titusville, PA

K. Corp, Titusville, PA Robinson Knife Co., Bradford, PA Chris Wolf, Titusville, PA

Baldwin Cutlery Co, Tidioute, PA Standard Knife Co. Bradford, PA

With the great depression looming in the near future and such intense competition in a small area Baldwin Cutlery is sold to Vern Atkins, a local cutler. It was renamed the Penn Cutlery & Tool Company of Tidioute, PA.

This is one of my favorite areas to visit. Imagine what it must have been like when all those companies existed with 100 miles of one another. Imagine the knives that are still in that area and yet to be discovered in grandpa and grandmas attic and basement.

Thank you David Anthony for having such a wonderful reference book of that area, makes visiting up there a lot of fun :)

7 members like this

Add a Comment

You need to be a member of iKnife Collector to add comments!

Join iKnife Collector

Comment by Jan Carter on January 17, 2013 at 19:01: I honestly did not know this was coming out when I wrote this but it is kind of cool so I thought I would share

Comment by Sue OldsWidow on January 16, 2013 at 20:21: would have been a long ride to deliver some of those jobbing knives too!.....now days a couple hours of sight seeing, back then a week or so ...such a wonderful time in history it must have been

Featured Comment by Craig Henry on January 16, 2013 at 17:25: I can remember guys telling me when I got into serious collecting many, many moons ago that when you go to the Bradford area it's like going to heaven. LOL!

Comment by Lee Smith on January 15, 2013 at 20:08: Keep us posted about when it is so we can plan ahead.

Comment by Jan Carter on January 15, 2013 at 20:04: We take the opportunity every year to visit Great Eastern during their annual open house. It is always fun and the surrounding area is just packed with things to do. This year Queen will have their open house the same weekend and I am also looking forward to that one. One of our favorite things to do up there is visit the antique shops we find off the main roads. We have found a few odd pieces that are just wonderful

Comment by Lee Smith on January 15, 2013 at 19:45: Sounds like a great vacation spot to me. Hmmmmm

Comment by Rick Hooper on January 15, 2013 at 15:13: Sounds good to me!

Comment by Rick Hooper on January 14, 2013 at 16:04: I would like to visit the area also. After reading again, the last chapter of Brad Lockwood's CASE XX history, it sounds as if the locals are not very friendly. Except the local librarian and county historian. I believe Little Valley is missing a great tourist and financial opportunity!