One of the many fun things about collecting old knives is their ability to whisk us back to a place in time. These knives speak volumes of the when and where they were made or the significance of why they were made. All old knives have voices. And if we are quite for a moment we can hear them speaking to us.
Collectors today are but custodians of these knives. We are entrusted with them for only a short time and then they are passed on.
To the original owners these knives weren’t mediums of the past. Instead, they bought them fresh out of the box and put them to work. If a knife survived its originally intended purpose and wasn’t lost or destroyed, it then began its trip down through the years to us today.
Other knives were made to mark a date or happening. While not necessarily exhibition pieces, though some were, many were simply souvenirs or keep sakes commemorating something significant, and these knives’ voices speak out the loudest.
Today, I was spoken to. Even though I didn’t view this knife in person, it spoke to me nonetheless.
1933 World's Fair Chicago- A Century of Progress
This wonderful little knife commemorated the 1933 World’s Fair and the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Chicago under the theme of “A Century of Progress,” signifying its technological innovations.
It resides in a collector’s possession today and he shared it over at iKnifeCollector. I am sure there are thousands of similarly significant pieces out there- all of which are treasures of days gone by.
If you ever wonder what the attraction of old knives is- just listen and you’ll hear them speaking to you too.
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Knife photo credit: Max McGruder; Poster photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_of_Progress
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