ISO: Union Knife Company Information

[fahtz]

Hello!

I am in search of information about the Union Knife Company in Naugatuck, Connecticut.

I know they were a civil war era manufacturer of pocket knives, folding fork, knife, spoon combinations, and maybe some pistols (?).

Of the stuff they made, I have seen 4 items, 3 combinations and 1 pocket knife.
All are marked with the same logo- "Army Knife" in a half crescent over "Union" at the base of the fork in the combinations and at the base of the blade ont he pocket knife. On the combinations, the knife part is marked with something that I can not read over "Naugatuck" at the base of the knife. One combination was etched with "1862" on the backside of the spoon. On the wooden handles initials are typically carved.

Of what I have found they started business around 1850, and maybe changed names to the Naugatuck Knife Company after the war(?).

Does anyone have any more information on the items they made, the company themselves, or the dates of manufacture of items, that would be a great help!

Thanks!

[Slouch]

Re: ISO: Union Knife Company Information

The Union Knife Co may have joined a knife co-op after the war. See http://bearsystems.com/ellenvil/ulsterknife.htm

I just picked up a Dwight Divine marked knife and found that he joined the Ulster Knife co-op in the early 1870s. It was made up of 15 different knife makers in the same area the Union Knife Co was located.

[fahtz]

Re: ISO: Union Knife Company Information

Reading what I could via google, I found a fellow who purchased a hawk bill pruner made by Union Knife Co. Naugatuck, in his findings the factory was open from 1851-1885.

As far as I can tell Union Knife Co. did not join co-op.

Another thing to point out is the astounding number of knife companies int he northeast at the time. Knife companies in the North East (specifically Union) were using European knife-smiths to produce the knives they were turning out at the time. Just like a lot of the rest of the industries in the country at the time!