UBB.threads Forums General Interest Collector's Corner J. Wetzel Sohn, Tuttlingen

Mr. Kaeshammer sent me pictures of the 1866 Tuttlingen Tradesmen directory. Note that the surname, Wetzel is spelled as "Wezel". According to Mr. Kaeshammer the early maker mark of "J. Wetzel Sohn, Tuttlingen" used the surname "Wezel" as it is listed in 1866. However, he has not produced an example or photograph. Alexander Rohm used "Wezel / Wetzel" in his e-mail letter to me.

In the U.S.A. my surname from my family tree has been found as: Wetzel, Wetzell, Wetsel, Whetsel, Whetzel and Whitsell. To a novice this can be confusing.

I have found another family surname of mine: Sarlous, spelled with at least six variations. The original Dutch spelling was Saarloos.

I have asked Mr. Kaeshammer if he has actually seen the early "Wezel" mark on a knife or is it only found in the 1866 Tradesmen directory, which may be a misspelling.

Mr. Kaeshammer sent this e-mail after the new pictures I took: "Calvin. Now you have several collections. Very different. That is great. The Wetzel knife is really wonderful. Bauernmesser with a corkscrew you see not very often. And this corkscrew is of high quality. The whole knife is a very fine one. The scales are tortoise as far as I can see. And the bolsters I like too. And the stamping is well done".