Holding history

  I have in my possession a small tool that may not be familiar to a lot of people, depending upon where you grew up, or currently live. It is a knife specifically designed for picking blue crabs. There really is a tool for just about every task. I'm a firm believer in using the correct tool for the job. You can never have too many tools. This particular tool was owned by George W Coffin, jr. He was uncle to my wife. His initials are stamped on the handle. 

Uncle George's crab knife 

 Now there is a story behind every tool, the activity that necessitated the creation of that tool. Picking the meat from a blue crab is somewhat a tedious process and requires knowledge of crab anatomy and nimble fingers. This tool, the picking knife, greatly reduces the amount of effort required to extract that delicious meat. In Maryland the blue crab reigns supreme. Neighborhoods will gather to engage in crab feasts. It borders on a religious experience with some. To the initiated, the professionals, those in the know, bringing your own crab knife is your badge. It is the signal to others that you are a local! No amateur, no wannabe Baltimorean, you are the real deal. 

 Now in July of 1952 the Chesapeake Bay Bridge that joins the eastern shore of Maryland to the western shore was completed. Now those folks from Baltimore and the surrounding area could easily travel to the eastern shore. At the time that bridge was the longest bridge over water in the world. It was a must drive to go see this marvel of modern engineering. George Coffin Jr. drove his car to Annapolis to see this wonder. He took his mom and dad along as well. Making it a big day out he went to the Carvel Hall Hotel, a famous hotel and eatery in Annapolis. Carvel Hall had previously been known as the Willaim Paca house. William Paca was a signer of the declaration of independence and three-time governor of Maryland. This hotel stayed in business until 1965 when it was purchased by the state of Maryland for historic purposes. It has since been returned to its' original condition as the home of William Paca. 

 It was on this historic occasion, seeing that bridge and dining at a historic establishment, that George Coffin purchased this crab knife. You see, in 1951 Carvel Hall began selling those crab knives. They were such a hit that one million were sold in the first month! So, if you were a local, a true crab picking professional, you knew you needed to have a genuine Carvel Hall crab knife. Uncle George had his initials stamped into the handle of that knife as proof of ownership. He carried that tool with him to all the crab feasts in the neighborhood. I'm certain he bragged about having it as well. 

 Now there is no way of proving any of what I wrote. Those knives have no markings to identify them. Uncle George never told me anything about that tool. It was just something in his kitchen drawer and most likely forgotten about by him. Uncle George was legally blind for the last twenty years of his life and so wasn't picking any crabs. It wasn't anything that ever came up in conversation. But I can imagine all of that taking place. I do have a picture of that bridge taken by Uncle George when it was new. I know that he was there and most likely knew about Carvel Hall due to its' fame. He would have been thirty-one years old in 1951. It's a good story anyway. It's my story and I'm sticking to it.