All About Pocket Knives

Hello, yesterday I stumbled across a counter top knife display.
I have only had time to briefly look over it, and apologize for the lack of photos. I will upload later today.

It is one sided, wooden with glass sliding out the top.
The closest thing it reminds me of in style is an old Boker Tree Brand display. Minus the metal pegs to hang the knives

The finish is brown wood and across the top that pulls off reads in red
Colonial Master Pocket Knives Made in the USA

I guess my question is about the master part.
Did colonial have a master series set of knives?

I haven't been able to locate much information about this.
Thank you in advance, and I will post photos the first chance I get

They had a lot of "masters"; Jackmaster, Forest Master. Master barlow. I don't recall a general Master Pocketknife type of title though.

Eric

I did just find this: http://www.plginc.com/stef/colonial/history.htm Scroll down to the bottom right and you'll see a 1960 catalog cover with Master Brand on the cover. they also mention on the site that it was supposed to be a higher end line. That's about all I know about it. Someone here will likely come along with a bunch of info.

Thank you very much for the information.

My impatience and only glancing at the display yesterday got the better of me. That or my daughter is correct regarding my vision and hearing, because I failed to notice the back of the case.

The back of the display has a piece of paper attached, that I'd like to find a way to preserve and have scanned it.
But that later.
It reads, and I will attach photos this time:
"Patterns Contained in the YC 100 Cabinet Assortment"

Then below it an illustrated list of 12 knives that were in the case.
It'd be nice to fill the case with the original knives that were in it, but that's all I need is another side project.

I need to correct myself in the comparison to the Boker one I had. The only similarities were the top came off, and glass slide out.


I haven't been able to find much other information about the display case that what is on it. Personally, I'm not that familiar with Colonial knives. But after looking, I am glad I stumbled across this case.
I will be purchasing a couple of them in the near future.


I really appreciate your help and the link you provided, it has some valuable information on it.
And if anyone happens to know a little more about the history of this, I would be thankful to hear it.

Here are some photos, thanks again.

The photos

That's a very cool display! Since Colonial knives aren't too pricey it would be a nice project to fit a mounting board to it and aquire all the knives listed for it. Being that the display is wood I would guess it dates from the 50's or so. Maybe someone has a better idea of the time frame.

Thank you, it is a nice little case.
I was surprised to stumble upon it. I am helping a friend go through his dad's old place and it was in a one of the small sheds around the house. He's trying to go through and decide what to do with most of it. This would have ended up being thrown out or just left of I hadn't asked about it.
I have not seen anything like what I've helped him look through, old TVs, still in the original box and not used and several other things to.
Sorry to go off topic, that has been interesting and enjoyable.

I have been looking up the knives that are on the attached sheet on the back of the case.

The depth of the middle shelf is 5" in depth, and tn he bottem is right at 9".

It works be really nice to fill it with original knives.
One part on the knife sheet that makes me curious is under each knife it has the
Shipping weight per gross........18 lbs. (and changes depending on the knife)

That would be several knives to weigh 18 lbs.. The No. 292, 2 blade Barlow has a shipping gross weight of 30 lbs.
Just curious to me, I guess.

A gross is twelve dozen so it would be 144 knives. Very cool sheet for sure.

Eric

Czarcastic wrote: ↑Thu Dec 29, 2022 2:07 pm Thank you, it is a nice little case.
I was surprised to stumble upon it. I am helping a friend go through his dad's old place and it was in a one of the small sheds around the house. He's trying to go through and decide what to do with most of it. This would have ended up being thrown out or just left of I hadn't asked about it.
I have not seen anything like what I've helped him look through, old TVs, still in the original box and not used and several other things to.
Sorry to go off topic, that has been interesting and enjoyable.

I have been looking up the knives that are on the attached sheet on the back of the case.

The depth of the middle shelf is 5" in depth, and tn he bottem is right at 9".

It works be really nice to fill it with original knives.
One part on the knife sheet that makes me curious is under each knife it has the
Shipping weight per gross........18 lbs. (and changes depending on the knife)

That would be several knives to weigh 18 lbs.. The No. 292, 2 blade Barlow has a shipping gross weight of 30 lbs.
Just curious to me, I guess.

A gross would be 144 knives or 12 dozen.

Cool display