I inherited a fixed blade knife from my grandfather, who immigrated to Canada from Holland after WWII. I've done a decent amount of digging on the internet to try and ID the tang stamp but have come up dry. As far as I can tell the tang stamp looks like the Mercedes-Benz logo inside of a circle with "SOLINGEN" underneath it. I'm trying to find out who the manufacturer is, when it was made and a crisp image of the stamp so that I can etch the correct image in place.
Because 'm in the middle of restoring it and it's in pieces so I don't have pictures to post. However, here are some pictures of an example of the general construction and what I have for the tang stamp (the stamp pictures are taken with a 30x attachment for my phone, hence the sidelight):
Thanks in advance for your help.
Solingen Tang Stamp ID
Re: Solingen Tang Stamp ID
Gehrels, I've been researching some German maker marks and manufacturers and ran across a reference to to a logo that represents a propeller "and a ship's wheel (helm). The resultant maker was listed as Luckhaus & Gunther. I've never run across that maker before but the description of the logo has a resemblance to your knife. Good luck in your search.
Joe D.
Joe D.
Re: Solingen Tang Stamp ID
Thanks Joe. The description that you posted sounds interesting. With it in mind the central part looks a lot like an aircraft prop. This makes me wonder if that is what Mercedes was going for in the first place.
I did some digging and the closest that I could find is below. Also, I wonder if the description should indicate a stamp of a nautical propeller (wider blades) instead of an aircraft propeller. Either way luckhaus günther was hard to track down for anything other than their lamb with a flag stamp.
I did some digging and the closest that I could find is below. Also, I wonder if the description should indicate a stamp of a nautical propeller (wider blades) instead of an aircraft propeller. Either way luckhaus günther was hard to track down for anything other than their lamb with a flag stamp.
Re: Solingen Tang Stamp ID
This is an image of the Luckhaus & Gunther stamp which I believe Joe was describing. This is from Anthony Carter's "Guide to German Knife and Swordmakers"
Stamp on the OP knife is very worn, but, does somewhat resemble the pic in Carter's.
Stamp on the OP knife is very worn, but, does somewhat resemble the pic in Carter's.
Dan
Re: Solingen Tang Stamp ID
Thanks for the image Dan. However, I'm confident that's not what is on my blade. There are no handles for the ship's wheel, the propeller blades are too thin and there are no letters, aside from "SOLINGEN".
Would you happen to have time to search through your "Guide to German Knife and Swordmakers" for something that closer resembles the OP stamp?
Would you happen to have time to search through your "Guide to German Knife and Swordmakers" for something that closer resembles the OP stamp?
Re: Solingen Tang Stamp ID
I paged through Carter's book again, there are no other images of marks close to the one on your knife. The mark I posted was registered in 1894, but, it was re-registered in a simplified form in 1907. Perhaps yours is a worn example of the simplified stamp?? There is no image of the simplified form shown. The mark you posted was registered in 1897. Luckhaus & Gunther specialized in exporting to South America and Cuba from the 1880s to the 1940s. (not necessarily relevant?)
Dan
Re: Solingen Tang Stamp ID
Thanks for looking through your book.
I'll have to see what I can find on the internet for the simplified stamp from 1907.
If anyone else has an idea I'd appreciate your input.
I'll have to see what I can find on the internet for the simplified stamp from 1907.
If anyone else has an idea I'd appreciate your input.