Vintage Springer

[Desktop]

Hi!

I'm new to this great forum and this is my first post. Unfortunately, I'm not fluent enough to write in German so I hope English is OK!

I have this Springer that my father bought in Sweden. It has somewhat different tang stamps compared to the Springers usually found here in the US. The front tang is stamped "STAINLESS" and the rear tang is stamped "IMPORT". I suspect the knife was made by BONSA in the late 50s or early 60s. I was wondering if this knife was exported to Sweden? If not, what other European country did 'import' this knife from Germany? I was hoping forum members have some more information about this knife. I've never seen this particular combination of stamps before. They're definitely not common!
Thanks!

 

[k.hunter]

hi, i think that this springer is an - Hubertus -from Solingen -i have one bought in Vienna 7-8 years ago new in a shop best reg. karl

 

[doublewasp]

... I hope English is OK! ...

Hi Desktop!

English backed up with pictures is OK! Welcome to the forum. We have a couple of people around here who are very knowledgeable. I am sure they will chime in soon.

 

[cut]

….Springer
… front tang is stamped "STAINLESS"
… rear tang is stamped "IMPORT".
… I've never seen this particular combination of stamps before. They're definitely not common!

You surely are right that such marking of German made knives definitively is not common if exported by the maker to a customer in Great Britain or the U.S., or if made for Germany!

Marking knives with the country of origin, such as MADE IN PRUSSIA or MADE IN GEMRANY, was caused first by Britain’s Merchandise Marks Act in 1887, and by the U.S. soon after in order to protect domestic products.

Anyway you are stating

… (that …) this Springer … (was) … bought in Sweden. …

I have no idea, what regulations ever banned or restricted foreign products in northern Europe, but it is a fact that many German knives were exported all over Europe and this style of lever lock switchblades was invented in Germany and to my knowledge such high quality semi handcrafted ones were made in Germany only.

… I suspect the knife was made by BONSA in the late 50s or early 60s. …

Böntgen & Sabin (BONSA brand) was just ONE of many Solingen makers, involved in crafting switchblade knives. It was common to delete the maker’s brand or to mark knives with the importer’s brand if made under contract – but some dozen of Solingen cutlers
have been crafting such style of switchblades during the last decades.
So I am convinced that it might be a guess to name Böntgen & Sabin as maker of this particular leverlock.

regards
cut

 

[Desktop]

Thanks all for your comments!

cut: thank you very much for your detailed answer!