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
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