Old Imperial tortoise shell handle multi blade knife | ||
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Posted 8 years ago
lee120275
(46 items)
I don't know a lot about knives in the first place but believe it comes from the USA, please help with info on age and knowledge of the company. Is the company a good maker of knives. Help wanted thank you in advance
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What is the second word on the tang stamp under Imperial? It looks like "Ireland" but it doesn't appear to be centered.
UncleRon, Ireland is always a bit off centre ! LOL !!
Looks like England, to me anyway.
Thanks to blunderbuss, pops, uncle Ron I will have to get my eye piece out and take a closer look as my eyes ain't the best. Thank you everyone
Thanks buckethead
It does look like England but as far as I know Imperial never had a factory in England. Plus the lines on a modern stamp are center-justified so Ireland isn't long enough to end at the same edge as Imperial. It would be 1/2 space to the left.
Looked under the eyepiece definately England, I never noticed it even had a line under imperial until it was mentioned on here. Now please can anyone tell me if the factory make good knives or are they just run of the mill. It's a nice Knive in that is old and tortoise shell but any clues to the age. Thank you for all your help and look forward to replys
The tortoise shell is a nice touch.
where is the word?
saw imperial england on closer look:)
In a word, no. Imperial started just after WWI in the US. In the early years they made acceptable, inexpensive knives with solid plastic handles. Around 1935 +/- they bought, from Lohr & Steihl (sp?), a German company, the rights to a knife-making technology which made knives very inexpensively. The process involved stamping a hollow handle shell which had the appearance of solid handles and bolsters like a normal knife. Then a thin piece of plastic was wrapped around the shell to give the appearance of "solid" handle material. Sometimes there are even “pins” and a “shield” made by punching out holes in the plastic. This assembly is held onto a machine-assembled frame consisting of the liners, springs, and blades riveted together (essentially a complete knife sans handle covers). The cover assembly is held on by a small tab which is bent under at each end of the knife. Look carefully at yours and you should be able to see all these details. The knives are inexpensive but remarkably solid all things considered. Until about ten years ago they sold on ebay for $1 - $3. Examples in unused condition are starting to increase in value depending upon the shape and handle color(s). Most sell for $10 - $15 and picture handles can go up to about $40. Yours looks very nice and is an unusual pattern so it would be worth closer to the high end.
They have a factory in Ireland. I have never seen one made in England although Richards (Lamp Post logo) is made in England with her same technology so there is probably a connection.
PS Your handle color simulates "bias-cut" cattle horn (cut on an angle to reveal the grain), not tortoise.
Like the others, I've seen a lot of Imperials made in Ireland, but IMPERIAL ENGLAND??? First time for me, as well. Nifty looking knife, save for the missing bail or shackle. Will you "restore" the knife or leave it as is? [;>)
Sorry I did not answer Nevadablades Q earlier but I have been away due to family stuff. Thank you to Nevadablades and uncle Ron and everyone else for their helpful comments, I will be looking for a similar knife and then change the bails or maybe just sell it as is.