3 pin Cattaraugus Elephant Toenail Knife
I’m still waiting on the Catt expert to step forward and clear up the handle pin mystery.
In the meantime, Cindy & Jim Taylor are offering a nice 3 pin (counting center pin) Catt on eBay.
I’m of the opinion the 3 pin is the older model with the 5 pin coming before Catt closed up. Again, that is my guess based on looking at the age signs of the different knives. It is possible the 5 pins were assembled by the parts sold off after the factory closed.
Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Identification and Values by Roy Ritchie and Ron Stewart and The IBCA Price Guide to Antique Knives 2nd Ed. by Bruce Voyles both show a 3 pinned toenail in their books.
February 26th, 2009 at 9:16 am
You may be right about 3 pin being older.Most 5 pin I`ve seen I think are factory also.They have had Catt tang stamps,pattern #,and nice matching bone handles.Something most part knives are missing one and some cases all of the above.I`m sure there are exceptions.
March 7th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Here’s what I found in Dewey Ferguson’s reprint of two Catt catalogs. Only the earlier one has a photo of a toenail and it is a 3 pin model. The date of that catalog Mr. Ferguson states is 1922.