Napanoch coke bottle folding hunter lookalike?

[tbob]

Just recently joined the forum and here's the story. I was going through my long-deceased father's boxes when I ran across this knife. Dad was career US Army (WWII Europe, Bulge then Korea) but I never figured him for a big knife guy. This may have belonged to any of my uncles, one of whom trenched it in France WWI). I also found a 1917 Lucky Farthing penknife, made by Richards-Sheffield, in with this item.

I spent 1967-1968 recovering downed helicopters from I Corps in RVN and recall how my trusty pocketknife helped me get through each day...maybe that's why I feel this blade served a similar function. I could be wrong. The knife is old but not neglected. Nor was it pampered, but the blade still operates smoothly. I have no idea how long it takes to achieve a patina like this. It looks just like a Napanoch coke bottle folding hunter, but is stamped: Henry Sears & Son 1865 Made in USA. I'll include a few snaps I took this evening. I'm not looking to sell this knife just trying to ID it. Any help you guys could offer will be greatly appreciated.

[Doc B]

Beautiful old knife! Extra special it belonged to your Dad. I'm sure more knowledgeable folk will come along, with info.
Welcome to AAPK, thanks for posting

[peanut740]

It's not Napanoch. I have never seen a Napanoch cokebottle with a matchstrike pull.It could be made by Phoenix knife Co.They made knives for Henry Sears and had a tight serrated pull on many of their knives,like the pull on yours.

[edge213]

Just recently joined the forum and here's the story. I was going through my long-deceased father's boxes when I ran across this knife. Dad was career US Army (WWII Europe, Bulge then Korea) but I never figured him for a big knife guy. This may have belonged to any of my uncles, one of whom trenched it in France WWI). I also found a 1917 Lucky Farthing penknife, made by Richards-Sheffield, in with this item.

I spent 1967-1968 recovering downed helicopters from I Corps in RVN and recall how my trusty pocketknife helped me get through each day...maybe that's why I feel this blade served a similar function. I could be wrong. The knife is old but not neglected. Nor was it pampered, but the blade still operates smoothly. I have no idea how long it takes to achieve a patina like this. It looks just like a Napanoch coke bottle folding hunter, but is stamped: Henry Sears & Son 1865 Made in USA. I'll include a few snaps I took this evening. I'm not looking to sell this knife just trying to ID it. Any help you guys could offer will be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to AAPK.
That's a great looking knife.

[Mumbleypeg]

Welcome to AAPK. Beautiful old knife and wonderful family heirloom.

I have one very similar which was possibly by the same maker. Early 1900s, probably by Phoenix.

Ken

[tbob]

Wasn't expecting replies so promptly...thank you. Mumbleypeg's image does look a lot like mine. Peanut740 seems to confirm Phoenix as the maker. I ended up on a June 11, 2016 post referencing the North American piece (probably by Phoenix) with information Phoenix burned out of business in 1916. Along with the 1917 Lucky Farthing keychain knife found in the same box I'm of the opinion this probably belonged to my father's BIL who slogged in the trenches during WWI. This uncle and wife had no children, was great friends of my parents and bequeathed quite a few possessions to them. They also gifted my quite young brother and I wickedly sharp "toys" in the early 1950s...surprised we kept all our fingers and toes.

Anyhow, this is all starting to come together. I've got the pocketknife bug again and will be looking to acquire more (wish I'd kept the one from Viet Nam). Here's a snap of the Lucky Farthing piece that started this search. Sorry, but being a retired bench jeweler, I just had to clean it up. To all, thanks again.

[Ridgegrass]

TBOB:
I had an almost exact twin to that made by ULSTER called a 'Montana Teaser". That was a popular pattern in the early 1900's. Great piece, and the backstory.
BTW:
I was Americal, 198th L.I.B., and MACV at Chu Lai, Ly Tin, all over I Corps in '67-'68 . Sounds like we could have passed somewhere. Welcome home . J.O'.

[btrwtr]

Welcome to AAKP.

Here is a Phoenix that has the same double pulls and shield as your OP knife. Lucky Farting with original box and paper.

[Jacknifeben]

Here is a Napanoch with a match striker and PAT.APPLIED FOR double fluted punch.

[Gunsil]

Looking closely at these knives I don't think the OP knife is a Phoenix. Both Phoenix coke bottles shown have much longer dentate pulls than the OP knife. I may be going blind but I also don't see a double pull on the knife in question. So many companies made the big wood coke bottles it is hard to say who made the OP knife but it just doesn't look Phoenix to me.

[Mumbleypeg]

Gene, there is a double pull on the OP knife. Hard to see it but if you look closely at the first picture (blade closed) it’s there. See below - I enhanced the picture a little.

I won’t disagree with the rest of your post - I think they’re valid points. There are some other differences I notice also, but I’m not going to say Phoenix couldn’t have made changes during the time they existed. I’m not that smart.

Ken

[cudgee]

Welcome to the " Fun Factory ". There are lots of intelligent, very knowledgeable and witty members here, you will be made to feel most welcome. If you are going to get into knives, as you stated, hope your working career set you up with a good pension fund, you will need it. Welcome to the club.

[peanut740]

Looking closely at these knives I don't think the OP knife is a Phoenix. Both Phoenix coke bottles shown have much longer dentate pulls than the OP knife. I may be going blind but I also don't see a double pull on the knife in question. So many companies made the big wood coke bottles it is hard to say who made the OP knife but it just doesn't look Phoenix to me.

I agree the pull is shorter, and may not be Phoenix. But Phoenix is the only American maker that I have observed that had that small fine serrated so called matchstrike pull.Also I have seen Phoenix made Henry Sears toenails.

[tbob]

This morning I find myself knowing more about pocket knives than I'd ever imagined, but knowing less than I did yesterday. Still haven't figured out the mechanics of the forum quite yet (retrieving drafts, etc.) but hope to get there soon.

To Ridgegrass: Was with 71st AHC (Rattlers & Firebirds) '67-'68 out of Chu Lai as Snakedoctor (Recovery) crewchief. We supported Americal, Special Forces, LRRPs...got into trouble all over I Corps, too. Incidentally, In 1963 I moved to Falls Church VA from Hawaii (army brat) and surfed Ocean City & Indian River Inlet until Uncle Sam hooked me in '66. Small world, indeed.

As for the knife, all I know for certain is it's been sitting in a box of my Dad's stuff since he died in 1995 and that it's marked Henry Sears & Son. I ran across a dating chart (that I can't find again) based on variations in tang stamps that strongly dated the item to the mid-1930s but recently came up with this info from Swingley Development-Old Tool Archive:

Founded in 1865 as Henry Sears & Company in Rockford, Illinois.
The business became the Henry Sears manufacturing company in 1879, and in
1883 the name became Henry Sears & Son.

From 1879 to 1881, the Henry Sears Manufacturing Company operated a factory
in Middlebury, Connecticut. This factory was either moved to Illinois or
closed by 1881. The business was moved in 1885 to Chicago, but Henry Sears
retained a residence in Rockford. In 1897, the company was sold to
Farwell-Ozmun-Kirk & Company Hardware of St.Paul, Minnesota.

F.O.K. was a hardware wholesaler whose territory extended west of the Mississippi River to the Pacific Coast and as far south as Arkansas...it's now OK Hardware. My family's origins are located in northwestern MN so imagine their goods may have been especially concentrated in their home state. The mid-1930 date stamp clue would coincide with my father's high school graduation and entry into the MN National Guard so it could have been his knife all along. The only sticking point is the 1917 Lucky Farthing found in the same box. One last question before I have to quit the hunt for awhile: Does anyone know if Richards-Sheffield only used coins dated for the year of manufacture in that series? As an aside, Here's a old picture of the FOK Bldg. (gotta love the name). It's still there

[Ridgegrass]

tbob: Thanks for the reply on Chu Lai. I was an F.O. and artillery liaison with MACV at the Ly Tin base about 4 miles north of Chu Lai just above that blown out river bridge on Rte. 1 The eight man team did political and intelligence missions all around I Corps and I was their artillery contact to any local gun batteries or mortar squads wherever we went, in case we needed them. Spent many an hour in Hueys, 23's, and Chinooks. Had to have a 47 pulled out due to hydraulic damages buy a nervous 3/4 ton incident. Maybe you guys did it ?? Anyway, nice to chat with you. Good luck with the knife.
Suggest you look up that ULSTER in Levine's book under folding hunters. (p.189 in my old 3rd edition.) Sure looks close but they all do. J.O'.

[ea42]

Robeson did a VERY similar knife as well but I don't recall them ever having a double pull on their blades. I could definitely be mistaken though.

Eric

[RobesonsRme.com]

I’ve never seen a Robeson Cokebottle or Toenail with double pulls.

Charlie

[Ridgegrass]

I'm hanging with ULSTER. It sure looks like that one I had. J.O'.

[peanut740]

Ulster's didn't have matchstrike pulls.

[Ridgegrass]

Shucks! J.O'.

[knife7knut]

Although it does not have a double pull;it does have a match striker nail nick and the frame is strikingly similar to this Humason & Beckley coke bottle.

[peanut740]

The op knife has double pull.

[btrwtr]

Welcome to AAKP.

Here is a Phoenix that has the same double pulls and shield as your OP knife. Lucky Farthing with original box and paper.