Founded in 1852 when a group of cutlers at the Waterville Manufacturing Company of Waterbury, Connecticut went on strike. Led by Thomas J. Bradley, they moved to the New York town of Matteawan (later renamed Beacon), and started the New York Knife Company. Beginning as a stock company the cutlers were the stockholders. They were successful, and in 1856 they began looking for larger quarters.
Citizens of Walden, New York enticed the cutlers to move their company to their community. They purchased the cloth mill of Camron & Gowdy, and converted it into a knife factory. Table and pocket knives of every kind were made in this factory. The trademark “Hammer Brand” was adopted in 1878. The original trademark had only the picture of a hand and arm, with the sleeve rolled up, and a hammer in a raised position. In 1882, the words “Hammer Brand” were added.
Thomas W. Bradley, son of the founder, became president in 1879. He ran the firm until 1903, when he sold out to the Fuller Brothers of New York City. The Fuller Brothers also owned the Electric Knife Company of Newark, New Jersey, and operated both firms until about 1910. They then closed the Newark plant, and began making the Electric-marked knives in the Walden factory.
In 1920, the Electric marking was dropped, and the marking “Wallkill River Works” was adopted. Both these markings were a second line, of lesser quality and price, than the Hammer Brand knives. They continued until 1931, when the factory was closed due to bankruptcy.
Excerpt from the March, 1919 American Cutler magazine.,Excerpt from the 1928 Marshall-Wells catalog, depicting a New York Knife Company “Hammer Brand” four-blade outdoor knife., New York Knife Company box label, c 1900.
c 1856-1931