The study of the MSA (Marbles) toenail

MSA (Marbles) toenails are thought to be the Holy Grail of toenails and yet, it is commonly accepted Marbles didn't make a single toenail. Nope, we know Case Brothers (1900-1915) made them. That is not to say, another maker didn't at some point, but the overwhelming evidence is contrary.

The Marbles Catalogs (1905-1907) illustrates this knife. The earliest one pictures the knife with Case Brothers TESTED XX on the masterblade but without a tang stamp. (The knife picture is identical to that shown in the 1094 Case Brothers Catalog even down to the same description of the knife).

The 1906 & 1907 catalogs show the knife stamped M. S. A. CO. (first line), Gladstone (second line) and Michigan, USA (third line) without the TESTED XX.

The MSA Pearl Toenail as pictured from 1907. Two toenails were sold by Marbles: 8250 & 5250.

Understand too not all knives were made exactly as pictured , so going solely going off a picture can cause erroneous conclusions, but even still it can provide clues.

We also know that at one time "GLADSTONE" was misspelled. Yes, it had an "E" between the GLAD & STONE. Don't immediately assume the knife is "not right" just because of this typo (I know that is wild and would usually, automatically disqualify a knife, but not in this case).

Another interesting aspect is the use of U. S. A., noted knife expert Bernard Levine stated this might have been the earliest use of  this USA mark. He previously established it to be 1915.