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| Schnefel Bros. Germany |
Schnefel Brothers opened a cutlery distributorship in
Newark, New Jersey in 1909. They were
located at 648-686 South 17th Street. Their products appear to have come from
Germany and included a wide range of scissors, nail clippers, straight razors,
and other items. They operated at the
New Jersey address until 1928. (Goin’s
Encyclopedia of Cutlery Markings)
According to a filing with the U.S. federal trademark
organization the Schnefel Brothers Inc. filed for a brand trademark called “LaCross”
on September 9, 1930. This trademark
included tweezers for dental, surgical, manicure items, emery boards, and
blackhead/pimple removers.
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| Artistic Handles |
My friend, Pat, a retired school teacher from California,
had me sharpen these scissors which were sold by the Schnefel Brothers. They belonged to her grandfather, James
Liska. James and his brother, Will
Liska, were California tailors who came from Czechoslovakia. The “Liska Bros. Better Tailoring” shop was
on Vermont Street in Los Angeles. These scissors are extra long and would have been used to cut in ways that we use rotary cutters today. Notice the artful looking handles. Some of this style of scissor would be used in offices as well and would have a letter opener as part of the set.
The large shear was also used in the Liska Bros. tailor shop. They are unmarked, but a
work of
art in themselves. Notice the handles
are formed to fit the hand and permit maximum cutting power. Many of the very early handmade American
tailor scissors were designed in a similar fashion.
Cutting fabric all day, every day, in a tailor shop when
most men wore individually crafted suits required a scissor design that would
make the work more comfortable. In this particular story both the tool
manufacturer and the end-user were American immigrants whose skill
craftsmanship helped build this country!
We have a nail item for pushing back cuticle's and cleaning fingernails at each end of this tool which is about six inches long. This was made in Newark, NJ by Schnefel Brothers.. We have had it for many, many years. It has what appears to be a cross and other toolmanship over the center area of this tool.
ReplyDeleteemail at msds311@verizon.net,
ReplyDeleteTo the best of my knowledge the Schnefel Bros., Max, Otto and Carl manufactured their cutlery in Newark until the business was sold in 1953-54 to Revlon after Max's death. Max travelled to Germany to purchase designs later used on the handles. It's possible he purchased steel overseas, but seems unlikely.
ReplyDeleteOtto Schnefel married Ella Weistoff Steyskal, my father's mother, sometime in the1920s. I knew him as "Papa Schnefel." They had a home in Hollywood, California. I believe he passed away about 1961. I have inherited several pieces of those artistic tools of theirs.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the new information. I think it is interesting to know more about those who made the things that make our lives easier.
ReplyDeleteFound this while investigating heavy duty nail clippers my dad had, he was born in 1908. They are very ornate and are printed forged steel, Schnefel Bros. Germany and la cross1084. sharp as the dickens too.
ReplyDeleteMy father, Karl Schnefel, was the only nephew of Carl, Max and Otto Schnefel, son of their youngest brother Franz. They all were members of a large family from Solingen/Germany. All male members of this family worked traditionally on knives and scissors etc., so did the father of the three Schnefel brothers as well as my grandfather. This old profession was called "Ausmacher", that is, they got components of knives and merged and decorated them. My great-grandfather, Karl Schnefel sen., wasn't only a manufacturer but also politically very engaged in the Socialist Party. From 1878 to 1890 this party was forbidden by law in the German empire. As my great-grandfather was in danger of being arrested, the whole family fled to the USA. They returned to Germany because of my great-grandmother's home sickness, them had to flee again and went to Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil, where my great-grandfather was born in a tree house, returned again to Germany for a short time and had to start another flight, this time to New Jersey. As soon as the law against the Socialist Party was dispensed, most members of the Schnefel family returned to Solingen. But the eldest 3 sons, Carl, Max and Otto, decided to stay in the USA. I'm born in 1955, and I can remember the annual visits of "Uncle Carl", who came to Germany even at the age of 90 to see his German family.
ReplyDeleteHi, I’m a descendent of Carl Schnefel and would love to know more about our genealogy
DeleteHi, then we are sort of great-cousins. I've got some information about the Schnefel-Family from my parents. I've know some of our american relatives. I remember a couple, Irene an Curt Pierce (??) from New Jersey (?), who used to visit our family. They had two children, I think their names were Courtrena (called "Corkie") and Carl. Are they among your anchestors? As to the question of being jewish - no. The Schnefel family was without confession since several generations, because they were very attached to the labor movement and the socialist party. Before that time (about 1875), they were (reformed) protestants. Well, Kim, if you want more information, please contact me, as soon as you read these lines. Cordially Gabi
Deleteread this above post its very greatful for me thanks sharing this post ,great post.
ReplyDeleteHow to Use a Dremel Tool?
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Really interesting reading. I have a pair of box joint dykes ,nail cutters I've had for years. There great.
ReplyDeleteMy father John P. Nave was employed in 1946-47
ReplyDeleteI sit here, looking at my '10-50' La Cross nail clipper and wonder, German Jews that 'escaped' in time and came to America? The family given names are all names of my relatives and I am Jewish..
ReplyDeleteNot Jewish as far as I know and I’m Carl Schnefel’s great-granddaughter
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