Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. (catalog reprint with collector prices) by Roy Ritchie and Ron Stewart

Description

BOOK REVIEW
Reviewed by Knife World staff

Wow! That’s what you’ll say when you get your first look at this new book on one of the truly great old-time cutlery manufacturers. In the beginnings of organized knife collecting, the Cattaraugus brand held a prominent position in the hearts of old knife lovers everywhere. After a sag in values resulting from many old “Catt” parts knives hitting the market in the mid-1970s, Cattaraugus knives have been on a long climb back up, and this book is probably just the thing to put the brand back where it belongs – at the top of the heap.

What’s so special about this book? The answer to that question is a simple one – COLOR. The miracle of modern technology has now made it financially possible to reproduce this glorious Cattaraugus catalog from the early ‘teens era in all of its full-color glory. Cutlery catalogs were rarely printed in color in the first place and precious few survive today, but now this rarity – and all of the information it contains – is available to the collecting public at a small fraction of the cost of an original. What’s more, each of the 123 catalog pages has something the original doesn’t – current collector values! In addition to the above, Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. contains a historical overview of Cattaraugus, as well as some interesting period photographs. Collectors will appreciate the detailed explanation of Cattaraugus’ numbering system, and everyone with a sense of nostalgia will enjoy the full-color reproduction of an old promotional pamphlet, which contains a story entitled “My Old Jack-Knife.”

Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. makes available some wonderful historical information, old photos, beautiful catalog images, and other interesting bits of this-and-that. Coupled with Jim Parker’s recent dispersal of a large portion of the Cattaraugus exhibition collection, collector interest in the fine old brand is sure to be affected in a positive manner. All I can say is this: it’s been a long time in coming.

Softcover, 144 pp.
ISBN 1-57432-137-4