Thread: Case Brothers?

Tang reads (almost), Case Brothers Cutlery Co. Little Vally NY
Blade reads, "Gates & Hillier"
Top of Tang, Tested XX
Another razor I haven't been able to track down. I took a pic of the tank etching in hopes that some else may see something other than what I'm seeing, cause I can't find this bugger anywhere


Honeing was pretty straight forward but took a while to get the happy edge.

Nice one! From Goins': CASE BROS. TESTED XX LITTLE VALLEY N.Y.
c1900-1912. A razor with a stamped marking. CASE BROS. LITTLE VALLEY N.Y.
A similar Goins's reference, with same dates, had the same marking etched instead of stamped.

Others probably have more information, but I think the date range is correct for your razor.

Case Brothers Cutlery Co.
Started business in 1896 as jobbers and those blades are marked Case Brothers & Co Gowanda N.Y.
1900 they started there own production of hand forged blades in Little Valley N.Y. and Incorporated as Case Brothers Cutlery Co. Little Valley N.Y. In 1912 the factory burned down, the finished stock was in another building and they survived for a few years afeter the fire in Springville N.Y.
but due to financial diffaculties and set backs they were forced to terminate operations.
They also produced private branded products.
Nice score

Tim

hope this helps

I've got a couple of their razors, a Little Valley and a Springville and had a couple of others pass through my hands. IIRC Cattaraugus, Kinfolks, Western, Jean Case and of course W.R. Case and Sons are all part of the extended family of the brothers. Good razors IME.

Case Brothers Cutlery Co. 1881 - 1914.
John D.Case awarded patent for his butterfly razor on February, 8, 1881.
In late 1914, Case Brothers Cutlery Co., unable to recover from two devastating fires (Smethport and Little Valley) goes out of business.
On October 21, 1914, Case Brothers sells its trademark "Tested XX" to W.R.Case & Sons.

If someone are interesting of Case Brothers Cutlery Co. and W.R.Case & Sons history, I can post all chronology.

Originally Posted by manah

If someone are interesting of Case Brothers Cutlery Co. and W.R.Case & Sons history, I can post all chronology.

I are please go ahead

Originally Posted by manah

If someone are interesting of Case Brothers Cutlery Co. and W.R.Case & Sons history, I can post all chronology.

I'm with Lee ... +1 on more info. Knowledge is power and more is better. Here is a link to some related info. I have the book and the relationships between the NY cutlery companies is extremely interesting.

Please, Gentlemen:

Case Brothers Cutlery Co.

1881-86: John D. Case Co., Little Valley, New York. John D. Case awarded patent for his butterfly razor on February, 8, 1881.
1886-87: Jean, John, and Andrew Case were involved with Cattaraugus Cutlery Co., Little Valley, New York.
1890-1900: Case Bros., Wholesalers of Cutlery, Spring Green, Colorado.
1896: John, Jean, and Andrew Case form Case Brothers Cutlery Co. in Little Valley, New York (jobbers).
1900: Case Brothers Cutlery Co. incorporated in Little Valley, New York (manufacturing company).
1901: Elliot and Dean Case leave Case Brothers to form Standard Knife Co., Little Valley, New York.
1902: J. Russell Case leaves Case Brothers.
1903: Standard Knife Company goes out of business.
1907: Case Brothers open a second factory in Kane, Pennsylvania.
1909: Andrew J. Case leaves Case Brothers to join Union Cutlery Co.
Case Brothers purchases the Smethport Cutlery Company in Smethport, Pennsylvania. Case Brothers, Kane, Pennsylvania, reorganized under the name Kane Cutlery Co.
Smethport factory burns to the ground in June, 1909.
1910-11: Case Brothers build new factory in Warren, Pennsylvania to replace Smethport works.
1912: Case Brothers Cutlery Co., Little Valley, New York, burns to the ground. On March 27, 1912, Case Brothers Cutlery Co. reaches an agreement to rebuild in Springville, New York.
1913: Case Brothers, Springville, New York, goes into operation.
1914: In late 1914, Case Brothers Cutlery Co., unable to recover from two devastating fires (Smethport, Pennsylvania, and Little Valley, New York) goes out of business. On October 21,1914, Case Brothers Cutlery Co. sells its trademark "Tested XX" to W. R. Case & Sons.





W. R. Case & Sons.

1900: Little Valley Knife Association incorporated in Little Valley, New York (H. Crandall, jobber).
1902: In January 1902, J. Russell Case forms W. R. Case & Son Cutlery Company, in Little Valley, New York (jobber).
1903: December 31, 1903, H. N. Platts reaches an agreement to merge with W. R. Case & Son, as W. R. Case & Son's. This was after Harvey Platts purchased his brothers share of C. Platts Sons Cutlery Co., Elred, Pennsylvania.
1905: On February 5, 1905, the company applies for and receives its operating charter from the State of Pennsylvania. They move the business to Bank Street in Bradford, Pennsylvania.
1905: Crandall Cutlery Co. is incorporated as a manufacturing company in Bradford, Pennsylvania (formerly Little Valley Knife Association).
1907-09: Platts Brothers Cutlery Co., Andover, New York (in operation for less than two years).
1911: H. N. Platts leaves W. R. Case & Sons to form Western States Cutlery Co., Boulder, Colorado. The actual separation of the two companies took several years to complete (1911-1914).
1912: W. R. Case & Sons acquire Crandall Cutlery Co. of Bradford, Pennsylvania.
1914: W. R. Case & Sons acquire "Tested XX" trademark from Case Brothers Cutlery Co.
1915: W. R. Case & Sons first use "Tested XX" trademark. During this period (1914-20), W. R. Case & Sons reorganize its entire product line because of World War I and the departure of H. N. Platts.
1917: Start of United States participation in World War I.
1920: W. R. Case & Sons "Tested XX" line is in full production.
Case introduces a second, less expensive line under
the Standard Knife Co., Bradford, Pennsylvania, mark.
1923: W. R. Case ends use of Standard Knife mark. 1926: Kinfolks incorporated in Little Valley, New York (Kinfolks razors are manufactured by W. R. Case & Sons).
1936: W. R. Case & Sons acquire razor stocks and trademark of Genco Corporation.
1940: W. R. Case changes its line stamping to "Case XX" (full implementation is delayed for several years due to World War II).
1941: Start of the United States' participation in World War II.
1942: Although Case had been reducing razor production since the mid-1930s, W. R. Case effectively ends razor production in January 1942 (relying on existing stocks and razors acquired from Genco) and begins tooling up for the war effort.
1945: World War II ends. 1955: Case introduces a new line of razors to replace exhausted stocks (marked "Made in USA by Case") (approx. 1955-60) Kinfolks Incorporated, Little Valley, New York, goes out of business.
1962: W. R. Case manufactures the genuine mother-of-pearl "CASE ACE" as mementos for its officers and salesmen; W. R. Case & Sons formally ends 57 years of straight razor production.
1965: W. R. Case changes product line marking to "Case XX USA."
1970: Case changes
product line marking to the dot system.
1972: W. R. Case & Sons is sold to American Brands Inc.
1980: Case changes product line marking to lightning SS with dots system.
1988: American Brands sells W. R. Case & Sons to James F. Parker, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
1990: W. R. Case & Sons is sold to River Associates, Inc., of Chattanooga, Tennessee.
1990: Case changes product line markings to W. R. Case & Sons, Bradford USA, PA, and the year.
1993: W. R. Case & Sons is sold to Zippo Mfg. Co. of Bradford, Pennsylvania.
1993: W. R. Case & Sons change the product marking to a long tail C, USA, with dots underneath.

Bonus

That is great Alex. Ought to find a place in the Wiki for that.

Sweet, thanks for the info

Now to figure out the "Gates & Hillier" blade etching and that blade is figured out...

Even though this is a late modle razor it has all the lines of earlier blades, so I think it's a keeper