Hen & Rooster Model 273

Made in 1980 and Before

Bertram, the maker of the original Hen & Rooster knives, was founded in 1865. Their knives quickly became the finest knives made in Solingen, Germany. In fact, the knives made between 1865 and 1980 in the tiny factory with 14 employees when I purchased the company, remain the finest traditional, production, pocketknives that I know of. The blades are better ground, better finished, and the insides of the knives are so clean they appear to have been mirror polished inside as well as outside.

I bought this company, on the verge of bankruptcy in 1975 and managed to keep it alive for five years, turning out some of the finest knives of the past 100 years. I insisted on thicker liners, always nickel silver, the finest handle materials, and the finest possible workmanship. You cannot compare this 30-35 year old work with that done after the courts dissolved the little company and took the trademark away from us.

The Gentleman's Congress pattern pocketknife with two blades, model 273, measures 3-3/8" closed with a 1-7/8" spey blade and a 1-1/2" pen blade. Nickel silver bolsters and liners and a choice of four handle materials. Mother-of-Pearl, African Cattle Horn, Coral Rucarta^™ and Ivory Rucarta^™. The Cattle Horn is dark with beautiful patterns of white to gray. It is the least durable of the four materials. The quality of the Mother-of-Pearl is quite high, this is the rarest of these knives. Most were Black, Coral or Ivory Rucarta^™. Stag and Black Rucarta^™ sold out long ago. Made in Germany between 1975 and 1980 in the original Bertram factory. Both blades are marked with the Hen & Rooster mark on the front side and Bertram, Germany on the reverse side.

Hen & Rooster Model 273 Coral Rucarta™

(A) 273CR: $295.00

Hen & Rooster Model 273 Ivory Rucarta™

(B) 273IR: $375.00