Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Bamford on December 30, 2016 at 9:32

• ▶ Reply

KnifeMakerPermalink Reply by Paul S on December 30, 2016 at 10:13

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

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on December 30, 2016 at 14:52

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on December 30, 2016 at 17:12

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

• ▶ Reply

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on December 30, 2016 at 18:06

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

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Patrick Butler on December 30, 2016 at 20:33

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

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on December 30, 2016 at 22:15

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

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

• ▶ Reply

In MemoriamPermalink Reply by John McCain on December 31, 2016 at 12:44

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.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Patrick Butler on January 2, 2017 at 23:27

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

▶ Reply to Discussion