Ellis Collectn - Rare Pocket Knife 1920 Patent Can Opener

Ellis Collection - Rare Pocket Knife 1920 Patent Can Opener  

Rare small pocket knife with chrome plated scales, knife blade and unusual complex design can opener and cap lifter. 
The can opener is marked “Pat 171262.  This is the 1920 GB Patent 171262 of J.D. Mitchell for an improvement in devices for opening tins, cans, cartons etc. 

The scales are interestingly marked “Angus Watson Picnic Companion” on one side and “Skippers Picnic Companion” on the other side. 
Angus Watson built up one of the world’s largest brand names, “Skipper Sardines”, in the years leading up to the First World War. Watson was the largest purchaser of Norwegian sardines, so much so that in the 1920s it was said that there were two types of cannery in Stavanger: those who sold to Watson, and those who didn’t. 
Watson’s success was founded on high quality goods and enormous advertising campaigns. He opened a canning factory in 1921 and over seven years his business grew from three to 1,000 employees. It became part of John West Foods in 1961. 
8.5 cms  

Condition – Very good, light marks and scratches on scales, dark marks on tools, worm is intact.