Vintage Imperial Hunting Fixed Blade Knife

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Another affordable find at the local gun show: A fixed blade knife with, I think, the original sheath, by Imperial Knife Co, Providence, RI USA.   Founded in 1916 by Italian immigrants Felix and Michael Mirando in Providence, Rhode Island, this company was once the largest high-volume knife manufacturer in the United States known for its affordable knives. Their fixed blade knives are highly collectable vintage items.  They can be identified, in part, by their distinctive tang stamps where you have a crown above the Imperial name. 

I paid $25 for mine, which is in good condition, and it seems to be a reasonable cost considering the market.  From a tang stamp guide provided online (https://www.americanedgeknives.com/blog/dating-vintage-imperial-tang-stamps/ ), it appears that this knife was manufactured between 1946 and 1956.

Imperial knives are still produced and sold widely and I have a nice, inexpensive yellow Sodbuster in my collection.  But they are now made in China and it's a prize to find one of the vintage ones produced in teh US.   

Here is an historical timeline generated by AI:

  • 1916: Founded by Italian immigrants Felix and Michael Mirando in Providence, RI.
  • 1942: Merged with the Ulster Knife Company to form Imperial Knife Associated Companies to support military production during WWII.
  • 1946: The company acquired the Schrade Cutlery Company, which became the Schrade-Walden division.
  • 1985: Reorganized as Imperial Schrade Corp., consolidating all U.S. operations to Ellenville, New York.
  • 1988: The Imperial brand name was officially phased out and replaced by the Schrade name on products.
  •  2004: Imperial Schrade filed for bankruptcy, and its intellectual property was purchased by Taylor Brands LLC (now owned by Smith & Wesson).
  

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