Dating This Vergez Blanchard Head Knife

[vicroll91]

Purchased this Blanchard head knife a few months ago. The logo is a little different from most that I've seen. Any idea on the age?

Edited January 6, 2016 by vicroll91

[Trox]

Hi, I have several old Blanchard knifes and other types of tools. Non of my old Blanchard round knifes has a logo like yours. However, I do have a Cornett (French pattern quarter moon knife) with the same mark (and handle material). All my other Blanchard knifes have the dog under the company name, some with a curved "Blancard" and some with the straight "Blanchard" stamp. I have one with "6 medals" stamped under "Blanchard" "the Greyhound" and "Paris". Some tools have only "Blanchard". The particular large roundknife (7") with "6 medals) under the logo (has a ebony handle, who is pretty common on old large Blanchard round knifes) should be possible to date pretty accurate. Since we know that the company have received 7 gold and silver medals in total for their tools.

The first date of foundation for the Blanchard company is 1823.

1828. Mr. Louis Rene Blanchard make Cutlery in 37 Rue des Gravelliers, Paris.

1842. Mr. L. R. Blanchard goes into partnership with Mr. V. J. C. Mercier. The Company becomes "Mercier Blanchard & Cie" (Cie= Co)

1844. Mr. Louis Hippolyte SIMONIN succeed in getting Mercier´S permission to brand some or all of the tools with "MERCIER" or "MERCIER-BLANCHARD" or "BLANCHARD"

In the years after that Mr. SIMONIN changes several business partners.

1866. SIMONIN parters with Mr. Stanislas FREZARD and the name becomes "SIMONIN dit BLANCHARD & Cie"

The first time the name "VERGEZ" was mentioned was in 1910. It look like it was a company (Brand name) that Mr. SIMONIN BLANCHARD bought that year.

Then again, my French is not that good so I'm not sure how this played out. I cannot find any exact date for when the brand "VERGEZ BLANCHARD" started to appear on some of the tools. Some new tools has today only "BLANCHARD" stamped or etched on to them.

Anyway, it looks like your knife has a rosewood handle. It's perhaps not that big? I have mostly seen rosewood used on smaller knifes. I do not think we can date a knife on this handle material. They used Ebony, rosewood, boxwood, horn and bone on early handles. Now they are using "palisander" and plastic.

So any exact dating of your knife is difficult, it is an old beautiful good one for sure. There is one member here that knows a lot about the Blanchard tools; the Swiss Saddler Walter Roth. He has a very good topic in leather History called "Tools of a Swiss saddler" http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=49437

He have a beautiful collection of early Blanchard tools and have used them for 40 years, I am sure he can help you setting a time period for it.

I hope this info was useful, there are not much info to be found on the company.

Tor

[Trox]

When we talking about Blanchard history. The competition, the "Mayer Flamery Paris" (or "Ferdinand Mayer Paris" like some of his tools was stamped with). He was a former master from the Blanchard workshop. He quit his job with Blanchard and stole with him their model and client list. That's the reason for their tools similarities. He was later convicted in court for that. He still managed his company to survive, making his popular Splitting and skiving machine. I am not sure, but I think is was his version of the Spitlers Patent splitting lapskiving Machine (CS. Osborne # 83). Correct me if I'm wrong. I do have the Osborne # 83 machine myself and some of our members have the Mayer Flamery machine. I do think Walter Roth has one and pictures is posted in this forum/topic "tools of a Swiss Saddler" The machine is a bit different, it's a beautiful machine that sold very well. I understand why it was popular.

The Mayer Flamery company lasted from 1900 until 1960. However Mr. Ferdinand started a cutlery before that, around 1870. His tools was then marked with a little horse.

Tor

Edited January 10, 2016 by Trox