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Wit-Lars Anders Eriksson 1878 - 1945


Knife maker Lars Anders Eriksson alias Wit Anders was known for his distinctive style and well thought-out designs. 

Wit Anders is shown in a 1926 group photo of Frost employees. 

Born on 2 November 1878 in the town of Kråkberg, he moved to Östnor in November 1902 with his parents, Lars Erik Andersson, Wit-Jerk, and his wife Anna Ersdotter, when they took over the farm from his wife's parents, Rumbo Erik Andersson and Margit Larsdotter.

Wit-Anders was recognised as a very skilled craftsman, completely self-taught in most of the things he set out to do, which was important for his own and his family's survival. 

Date and location unknown

According to Margaretha Lindberg, he worked at FM Mattsson before joining Frost, and probably also worked with clocks.

In the book Anders Zorns knivar, regarding one of the theories about how the mystical Zorn knives were made, it is commented that Wit-Anders started working at the Carl Andersson factory in 1915: "It has been speculated in older articles that a skilled knifemaker from Östnor named Lars Anders Eriksson, called Wit Anders, might have been behind the Zorn knives. But Wit Anders only started working at Bud Carl's factory in 1915, eleven years after the Zorn knives were made". 

He joined the Frost company in the 1915s and stayed until his death in 1945. 

During this time he also worked at home making knives. The knives he made at home were not stamped.

Knife made by Wit-Anders for his son, Lars Anders Eriksson

On his own initiative he made a series of knives that were so well received that they were taken into production by Frosts in a series of 5 knife sizes, with and without guards. The production was very small and these knives are now very valuable.


Source "Wall plaque with a lot to look at, both utility knives and the ten stately knives in the arch above the large one in the centre. Lars Anders Eriksson ("Wit Anders") made the ten when he worked for Frosts in the 1920s. Five with pairing bars and five without, and in mint condition. Something for all Swedish knife collectors. And for Tore Nyholt! And for me too. They are easy to recognise and there are some out there.



2x examples sold at the famous 2017 Erik Grudin auction. Note the different handle shape and blade profile. mora kniv, moraknivar (cultur.nu)



"Here are a couple of Wit-Anders' knives together with templates, components and a few small tools he used. Wit-Anders' production was small and his knives are now sought-after rarities" Source: Antique Auction Magazine, 1992, N.5 

Wit-Anders died in 1945.

After his death, his eldest son (also named Lars Anders Eriksson, called Wit-Anders the Younger) inherited the table and sewing machine and some of his bells, including a workbench and a sewing machine. In the workbench Wit-Anders carved his initials L.A.E. The sewing machine was bought by mail order from Stockholm. It was made in Östnor and sent to the wholesaler Hansson and Hanner. It was delivered from the factory in Östnor to Stockholm on 22.07.1870.



Wit-Anders workbench and sewing machine

At 13:33 Margaretha Lindberg shows the Wit-Anders Workbench



Around the year 2000, when the Wit-Anders family was moving out of their home, they found some boxes with small parts for knifemaking, but no knives. A neighbour of the family, Vjekoslav (called Vjeko) Cerneka (from Croatia, but living in Sweden since sometime in the 60s) became interested in these parts and made two knives from them and Erik Jönsson blades. The larger one was made for Margaretha Lindberg, the granddaughter of Wit-Anders, and the smaller one for himself. Years later he offered his knife to Margaretha Lindberg's granddaughter, so that both knives could stay in the family. 





The smaller one is 16 cm long, and the larger one is 20 cm long






Source: According to Björn Larsson's article in Antik o Auktion, the lower fine knife is a Wit-Lars Anders Eriksson. he worked for Frost in the 1920s 

In Nov 2020 a knife was sold for 5766 SEK (around 556€) in Tradera





In Mar 2022 a knife was sold for 6 690 SEK in https://www.tradera.com/en/item/342912/533037897/speciell-kniv-fran-erik-frost-mora-#view-item-carousel 


In July and August 2022 a seller sold on Tradera 3 Wit-Anders
1º Lot with a Double guard and a N.9 For 7850SEK 7850SEK https://www.tradera.com/en/item/342912/549464711/2-st-aldre-moraknivar-i-nyskick#view-item-carousel 
2º Lot with a Vir-Ander with no guard. More rare then the double guard for 10500SEK https://www.tradera.com/en/item/342912/551474265/aldre-moraknivar-i-masur-o-nysilver#view-item-carousel
3º Lot with a Double guard and a N.9 For 5655SEK
https://www.tradera.com/en/item/342912/551474265/aldre-moraknivar-i-masur-o-nysilver#view-item-carousel



Source: some examples on the left

Source




Special thanks 
Margaretha Lindberg, granddaughter of Wit-Anders
Thomas Morakniv 



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