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Who was Daniel Butts and why is he on my tang stamp?

I have come to purchase a small pen knife from the Boker company.

It is very old and has iron bolsters and tang stamped Reimsheid with the name DANIEL BUTTS stamped prodly just below... does anyone know who he was ??? The stamp dates to their earliest noted in references I have checked..

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on February 22, 2017 at 20:00

Can you share a picture with us? When replying to this, the second icon on the left at the top of the box is add a photo :)

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Permalink Reply by bocaj on February 22, 2017 at 20:48

Here ya go ....

Attachments:

Boker 2.jpg, 1.1 MB

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Permalink Reply by bocaj on February 22, 2017 at 20:51

Here ya go.........

Attachments:

Boker 2.jpg, 1.1 MB

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Permalink Reply by bocaj on February 22, 2017 at 20:54

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on February 24, 2017 at 8:05

bocaj

There's a fellow member .. Roger Russell .. who collects Boker exclusively.

He is QUITE knowledgeable, Re: Boker.

Might I suggest .. a more complete pic of the stamping.

Enjoy

D ale

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Permalink Reply by Roger Russell on February 24, 2017 at 11:24

This info. is from a friend of mine, Ricky Ray (a.k.a. rangerbluedog) regarding this knife.

This is just a WILD guess.
Here is a link to a Google book entitled THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE REGION OF DUSSELDORF: 1846.
Best I can make out, it appears to be something about a "Federmesserfabricant" (pen knife maker) in Merscheid named Daniel Butz who wants to do something with a "steam machine".
Maybe he was part of the cottage industry in the region at the time who made knives under contract with a larger firm. in this case being H&R Boker. In 1909, evidence was presented that showed that 75% of knives made in Solingen were manufactured using the cottage industry structure. In the mid-to-late 1800s, one could assume that the percentage was much higher.

https://books.google.com/books?id=Nxs_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PA320&lpg...

Perhaps Daniel Butz was the specialist who forged blades for H&R Boker. Perhaps he stamped his name at the bottom in addition to the Boker tang stamp in order to ensure that he was properly paid by the assembly factory for his work.
All this is pure conjecture of course, but the evidence is certain that there was a pen knife maker in the Solingen vicinity by the name of Daniel Butz!

I also saw a mention on a genealogy website of a PETER DANIEL BUTZ, born in Solingen July 20, 1797.
Could this be the same guy? I do not know.... He is in the right geographical location and is of the proper age.
THIS Peter Daniel Butz was the son of Johann Peter Butz and Anna Catherine Koch.

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by D ale on February 24, 2017 at 11:52

!!! .. Thank you, Roger .. !!!

Roger Russell said:

This info. is from a friend of mine, Ricky Ray (a.k.a. rangerbluedog) regarding this knife.

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Permalink Reply by Roger Russell on February 24, 2017 at 12:33

Here's another picture of the tang stamp. While I am familiar with this tang stamp, I have never seen one stamped with the name Daniel Butz before. I hope this helps.

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Permalink Reply by bocaj on February 24, 2017 at 13:46

Thanks so much. The exact answer looks maybe lost to history but the coincidences are amazing !! Thanks again

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on February 24, 2017 at 19:45

Bojac,

I think you may be correct, the coincidences are amazing. I looked and looked and did not find this even but then Roger and Ricky and both Boker nutz and as D ale said very knowledgeable! Thanks for all the help guys! and Thank you Bojac for bringing us this tang !