German Bulldog knives

[Targetman]

Hey guys, unboxed a few more pearl Bulldogs and put on the display case. These are various dates from early years to late 90s. The plain gunstock pattern is set #36 and scrimshawed gunstock pattern is set #92.
Jim Parker had a series of Christian knives made of the 4 Gospels which are shown as Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These 4 blade Congress had scripture etched into the master blade.

[Quick Steel]

Thank you for posting this great collection Targetman.

[Targetman]

Next picture is a set of 7 Bulldog Damascus lock backs made in 1997. The Friedrich Olbertz factory sent Jim Parker 35 samples of Damascus lock backs in various handle materials and 2 frame patterns.
The first 4 have short bolster frames and came in red jigged bone, green jigged bone, stag, and antique amber jigged bone. The last three have long bolster frames and came in pearl, stag, and antique elephant ivory
Jim never ordered Damascus Bulldogs in this frame pattern but did commission 2 Damascus Bulldogs that year in a smaller lockback frame and were offered in stag and pearl.
These 35 samples made up 5 complete sets before Jim sold them off

[Targetman]

This next picture is of a year 2000 pearl display lockback knife in Rose damascus. Fully open The knife is 12 inches in length. The damascus blade is 330 layers and made by Sasche in Germany. All the hand polishing and fitting work was done by Mr Augustus Schmidt. Augustus was one of the last remaining master cutlers in the Bulldog Knife Factory.
Jim Parker sent this knife to Danny Best who does engraving on high grade custom knives. Jim found that it was cost prohibitive to market these with engraving so this one piece is unique and the only one engraved. I have a framed letter from Jim attesting to this information.

[Targetman]

The following knife is of a 8 1/4 inch 3 blade whittler display knife with genuine heart abalone handles. The master blade has a colored peacock etch. Jim Parker had 80 made with abalone swirl celluloid handles to go with his cased sets but there were only 4 made with genuine Heart Abalone. August Scheidtmann, master cutler for Bulldog Brand, did the fitting and hand assembly on this knife. I have a framed letter from Jim attesting to this information.

[Targetman]

Last post today is of 5 1/4 inch 3 blade Anglo Saxon Whittlers. First 4 are from year 2000. Mastadon bark ivory, pearl, mastadon bark ivory(blade etch different) , mastadon interior ivory.
Last 3 are pearl from 1998, heart abalone from 1999. And heart abalone bulldog knife club etch from 1999. I believe 1999 was the last year any Bulldogs were offered as club knives.

[doglegg]

Target I thought I was approaching a collection but I see I only have a token. Amazing collection and documentation.

[Targetman]

Hey guys, here are a few Bulldog stag knives that came out of Mr Gronauers retirement stash from the Friedrich Olbertz Co. These were accumulated from over runs through the years. Jim Parker bought these and they were distributed in 2003-2004.
4 bl canoe 1998 . 3 bl stockman. 3 bl cattle knife 1999. 4 bl Congress 1984. 4 bl Congress 1985. 3 bl gunstock. 3 bl copperhead 1983. 3 bl stockman 1984. 4 bl congress, ( Luckys congress) 4 bl Torched stag Congress 1985. 3 bl sowbelly tobacco-NC 1984. 3 bl sowbelly tobacco-NC 1984. 3 bl sowbelly tobacco-Ohio 1984. 3 bl sowbelly tobacco- VA 1984. 3 bl small sowbelly S&D cutlery co 1984

[Targetman]

Hey guys, one more display of Mr Gronauers retirement stash.
2 bl Barlow tobacco- Ohio 1986. 2 bl Barlow tobacco-NC 1986. 2 bl Barlow tobacco-KY 1986. 2 bl Barlow Our Best 1986. 2 bl trapper. 2 bl dogleg trapper 1985. 2 bl dogleg trapper Old Reliable 1985. 3 bl stockman. 2 bl canoe 1986. 3 bl canoe 1986. 3 bl trapper. 3 bl Cattle King 1985. 3 bl sowbelly 1985. 2 bl Lumberjack 1983. 2 bl copperhead.

[Targetman]

In 2001 Jim Parker had these 10 and 12 blade exibition Congress knives made in Mother of Pearl. Jim hadn't used the fighting dog trademark in a while and had these made to protect his trademark from someone moving in and using it.
These are quite a handful to open all the blades at once!

[kennedy knives]

[kennedy knives]

Thanks for your comments, I am humbled! I started collecting German Bulldogs in 1995 when I started going to Parkers Knife shows then located in Pigeon Forge Tenn. That summer show(3days) I bought a few misc knives from Jim Parker and each time during the show we would talk about knives and collections of various brand names. By Saturday afternoon with the show winding down, and Jim having more time to talk, I came away from that show with an eye opening understanding of what a true knife collection is. Jim explained that buying knives of various manufacture is just an accumulation of knives but a collection of knives is specializing in one brand of manufacture and collecting all their variations.
So, I started collecting Bulldog Brand! Not because Jim Parker talked me into it, but because Bulldog gave me more bang for the dollar than anything W.R. Case could offer...especially the pearl and exotic handle materials. For years I went to both of Jim's shows each year and he would always have new interesting Bulldogs in handles of pearl, stag, bone, and exotics.
Jim would extend discounts to me as I purchased more and more and then by 2001 Jim would just ship me something he thought I might like. That blew me away! No money up front, no phone call, nothing...just one day the UPS man would deliver a package to me. Prices were always reasonable and payment was upon receipt. I would send a check off and everyone was happy.
I lost a great knife collecting buddy when Jim passed away in Nov. 2004 and. I thank him for mentoring me in my early collecting years. He had a vast knowledge of all knives and was especially proud of his Bulldog Brand line of knives
Jim's son Buzz and Ed Henley continued the Bulldogs until 2007 and then started having them made in the USA. They were as good as the German made knives but after 2010 no more were made.
Bulldog trademark was sold and Frost Cutlery now imports them from China. These knives are far from the original quality and I refuse to collect them. I would rather carry an $8 Roughrider.
I have had a wonderful ride collecting Bulldogs for the last 24 years. Like most everyone else now I have to buy from EBay but still fondly remember my golden age of buying directly from Jim Parker. Thank you each knife collector one and all!

Just read your message that Buzz sold Bulldog Brand To Frost .What a shame .When did this take place ?

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Targetman, I just want to say that I am so glad you are here. Your knowledge and experience are invaluable. I hope that you will keep posting more of your collection. I have a sneaking suspicion that you aren’t even close to being done posting your collection. I am looking forward to seeing more.
SSk

[Targetman]

Hello Kennedy Knives, scuttlebutt says that Bulldog trademark was sold to Frost Cutlery just a few years ago. However it wouldn't surprise me if Buzz did a partnership with Jim Frost to have them all made in China. The end result in my opinion is Bulldogs now are Roughriders in disguise. The packaging only says German designed. Quality would have to be greatly improved to even begin to meet original German standards.

[kennedy knives]

Hello Kennedy Knives, scuttlebutt says that Bulldog trademark was sold to Frost Cutlery just a few years ago. However it wouldn't surprise me if Buzz did a partnership with Jim Frost to have them all made in China. The end result in my opinion is Bulldogs now are Roughriders in disguise. The packaging only says German designed. Quality would have to be greatly improved to even begin to meet original German standards.

Michael Prater with painted pony acted like it wasn't to long ago . I feel the same as you will never be the same quality as before . Saw them list at Smokey Mt cheap cheap!!!!

[Targetman]

Yeah I know. With Smoky Mountain Knife Works retailing them at $10 to $20 apiece the quality just isn't there. That's why I refer them to RoughRiders in disguise .

[Targetman]

Hi all, another display. This time it's the winterbottom bone stag version of the 12 blade and 10 blade exhibition knives Jim Parker ordered in 2001 and sold in 2002. These were offered in three different versions...plain master blade...double dog head etch...Tennessee walking horse etch. All blades had the fighting dog tang stamp.

[Targetman]

These were the two damascus knives Jim Parker ordered and sold in 1997. These were on a 3 3/4 inch frame and were offered in Genuine stag and AAA-1 pearl. Blades were standard damascus and not the ladder damascus samples the factory had submitted. 60 pieces were made in each handle material. Sorry I couldn't get a decent picture of the pearl to come out on my cell phone

[doglegg]

Targetman, I am sure enjoying your parade of Bulldogs. Wow each one tops the one before. Those 10 and 12 blade knives are impossible. And the Damascus are beautiful as well. What an education you have been with all these Bulldogs. Thanks.

[Targetman]

Doglegg, what's amazing to me on the 10 and 12 blade knives is how precise each blade closes into the frame. There is not a rub mark on any blade.
In Jim's catalog from 2002-10 he says that these knives were all hand made by master cutler August Scheidtman and back then he was 74 years old. Only 24 were made in each handle material and blade etch.

[Targetman]

In 1998, to celebrate Bulldog Brand 20th anniversary, Jim Parker had four presentation grade 5 blade trappers made. Each blade is stamped differently with one of the 5 tang stamps Bulldog Brand had used in their past 20 years. Each blade is etched differently with one of 5 etches used also. The front blade stamp features the rare 3 legged Bulldog. The middle spey style blade is etched with the very rare fancy gold Bulldog Brand etch. 100 sets were serial numbered and sold as sets. 200 were sold individually for a total of 300 produced. Handle materials were brown jigged bone, smooth red bonestag, genuine stag, and AAA-1 mother of pearl.
Jim had 5 pearl 5 blade trappers scrimshawed special for the 1998 Texas Knife Show that he attended that year and gave to award winning exhibitors.

[Quick Steel]

[Targetman]

In 2003 Jim Parker introduced a 4 1/4 inch toenail 4 blade. He called it " The First Knife of its Kind". It was a massive knife in weight and they were part of the Big Game of North America series. The art work of the bear series was done by Charlene Jeffery Satrom and the blade etching was done by Horst Nockemann. There were 4 natural and exotic handled knives produced. A genuine AAA-1 mother of pearl with a Polar bear etch, an antique elephant ivory with a Kodiak bear etch, a buffalo horn with a Black bear etch, and a second cut bone stag with a Grizzly bear etch.
All four knives were produced in quantities of 30 each. These sold out quickly being a unique pattern.

[Targetman]

This next display has a story behind it. In the summer of 2003 at Jim Parkers Knife show, he had introduced the 4 blade toenail big game series. I bought one each of the natural and exotic handles in the series but before I left his table he informed me he would have something special for me at the fall knife show. No amount of coaxing from me could get Jim to tell me what it was.
So....six months later I show up at his table. There is Jim with a big smile on his face. He reaches under one of his tables and pulls out a knife roll and inside are 4 of the prettiest 4 blade toenail big game series in Genuine Heart Abalone I have ever seen. There was one each of the four bear etches. Jim then informs me these are the only ones he had made. Just the one set of four....and they were mine if I wanted them! You could have knocked me over with a feather!!!
I purchased them at what I thought was a very fair price and a week later a letter from Jim came on Bulldog Brand stationary describing what I had bought. In it he said these were one of a kind Heart Abalone prototypes and would not be duplicated in regular production. These were fitted and finished by August Scheidtmann master cutler at Bulldog factory.
By that time I had a standing order for him to ship to me anything he made with Genuine Heart Abalone and had received numerous pieces from him. I like to think Jim had the Bear series made just for me but I know him better than that. I am just glad he gave me first choice.
Thanks for letting me ramble as I have many fond memories of Jim.
Sorry, cell phone pictures don't do justice to heart abalone in capturing the iridescent color of the shell.

[Quick Steel]

Simply amazing knives Target man.