The News from ElephantToenails.com

When I was writing the article on Welcome to My World I contacted David Anthony to inquire about their Gowanda, NY factory years of operation. I ran on some conflicting info in different knife books.

My purpose here is to provide correct dates for us as we go forward in our research, not to prove any other book or author wrong.

David has authored several articles on the Platts family and their history in cutlery. He is viewed as The Authority on anything Platts related.

Here is what David had to say (I inserted the pictures)-

Scott,I’ll be happy to tell you anything about the Platts family cutlers that I can. Some of Goin’s dates are wrong and because everyone else relied on his information, the other knife guides are usually wrong on their dates also. Here are the correct dates gathered from 20 years of extensive research:

C. Platts & Sons, Gowanda, NY 1896-1897

C. Platts & Sons, Eldred, PA 1897-1900

C. Platts’ Sons, Eldred, PA, 1900-1905

Platts Bros. Eldred, PA 1905-1907:

These knives were not actually manufactured by the Platts Bros. but were contract or “private brand” knives almost certainly made by the Eldred Cutlery Co. but bearing the Platts Bros. Eldred, PA stamp. There is absolutely no evidence that any knives stamped Platts Bros. were made before Charlie and Frank Platts started this jobbing business in 1905, after C. Platts’ Sons was sold to W.R. Case & Sons.

Platts Bros. Andover, NY 1907-1910

Platts Bros. Union, NY 1910-1911

Hope this helps. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. It was a pleasure to hear from you.

Best Regards,

Dave Pierce