This Utica, New York,
company was founded in 1910 by former Camillus employees Samuel, Abraham and
Joseph Mailmen along with other investors. It was primarily a metalworking
factory, but became the Utica Cutlery Company in 1929. Early Utica pocketknives
were of high quality and are not often found in the collector market. POCKET
PARD and SANECA joined brands such as ULK SUPREME in about 1930 and by KUTMASTER
in 1937. That trademark, the company’s best known, is still used today.
One-reason Utica knives
are not common today, and the company little recognized, is because a great
deal of its output was produced under contract for several hardware
distributors and other knife brand owners and consequently marked with other
brand names. During World War II, Utica made trench knives, bayonets, and other
items for military use. The stamp found on most pre-1937 Utica knives is UTICA
CUTLERY CO., UTICA N.Y., while after 1937 KUTMASTER, UTICA N.Y. is commonly
encountered.
The company remains in
business today as a manufacture of pocket and hunting knives, flatware and
other cutlery products, producing the KutMaster, Team RealTree, Mountain Crest,
Agatewood, American Maid, Featherweight, Seneca, Pocket Pard, Pal, and
Caterpillar cutlery lines.