Vintage Keen Kutter Shapleigh Hardware Fixed Blade Hunting Fishing Knife

Description

In as found condition, this old fixed blade knife is stamped Keen Kutter Shapleigh Hardware, St Louis MO.
From what I can tell from the description below, it appears to be from 1940-1960. It is 8' overall and the blade is 4" long
From: Pocketknives...second edition by John E. Goins 1982
Shapleigh Hardware Company c1843-1960 This company had it's start in 1843 when A. F. Shapleigh, then a junior partner of Rogers Bros. & Co. of philadelphia, brought to St. Louis a stock of goods to open a branch of that company. This branch was named the Rogers, Shapleigh & Company. In 1847 the company became Shapleigh, Day & Co. This name was used until 1863 when the firm became A. F. Shapleigh & Co. The next year, 1864, Diamond Edge was adopted as the trademark for their tools and cutlery. The exact marking on these early knives is unknown at this time. In 1880 the name was the A. F. Shapleigh and Cantwell Hardware Company. This firm continued until 1888, when it became the A. F. Shapleigh Company. The next change in the company name occurred in about 1902. At this time, the company became the Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware Company. Saunders Norvell started with the E. C. Simmons Hardware in the late 1800's as a clerk. He was still a clerk in 1898, but by 1900 was a vice president of the Simmons firm. By 1902 he had changed to Shapleigh, and was president by 1907 of the Norvell-Shapleigh Hardware Company. The name once again reverted to A. F. Shapleigh Hardware Co. in about 1920. On July 1, 1940 Shapleigh purchased the E. C. Simmons Hardware. From this time until 1960, they used the old Simmons trademarks on their products, as a second line to the Diamond Edge trademark. They continued to do business until 1960 when the firm was sold.The knives produced for this firm were marked on all blades until the middle 1940's. After this, they were marked on the master blade only. Some of the markings sold by Shapleigh were: Berkshire, Bridge Cutlery Co., Enders Oak Leaf, Diamond Edge(1864-1960) Keen Kutter(1940-1960), Empire Knife Co., NorShap (c1902-1920), Norvell-Shapleigh(c1902-1920), S Norvell(c1902-1920), Norvell's Best(c1902-1920), G. W. Putman & Co. Germany, Enterprise Cutlery Co., Simmons Hardware Co.(c1940-1960), Simmons Sonny(c1940-1960), and J. Koester's Sons Germany.
Please view all photos prior to purchasing, as they are part of the description.
**Item is sold as is. Returns are not offered at this time. Sale is final.**