NOT A CASE, ITS A LABELLE HANDLE

[PA Knives]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/W-R-Case-Son-Br ... 2ebb866b78
Morning,

This seller isn't unknown to the majority of knife buyers of this forum. He advertises a great deal and always has supposed vintage knives for sale. If you subscribe to Knife World Magazine (if you don't you should) you would recognize the stamp on the bolster of this knife as being from LaBelle Cutlery. It has NOTHING to do with CASE.

consider this! is the seller trying to hornswoggle (loved using that word) or is he just uneducated in the historical knife industry? A person that has seen as many knives as he has sold would surely know something about them. The "R" he refers to, is the first letter of the original seller of this knife. I am not sure just what that is at this time, but it sure as heck aint CASE!

A "B" is for BLACK Company, I have an "S" for Supplee, etc.

Just a heads up, make sure you READ the entire knife. Value is for parts only in my opinion. That's right folks, its just my opinion.

live, learn, read and save $$$

[knifeaholic]

When I saw that listing last night, I thought it was proof that this seller has finally gone of the deep end. What a Frankenknife!!

[chetr1200c]

thanks dave, here is an old labelle three blade barlow with that bolster mark.
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/o ... belle-conn
i wonder what it finally sold for.

[Tucool]

Thanks for the "heads up"







Brett.

[Elvis]

Since the auction has the correct info in the posted question and all he did was say thanks, I asked if he "was going to change the auction listing heading then?". With 6 days left, let's see what he does.

[RobesonsRme.com]

David, as even you are apparently unaware of who the "R" denotes as the original seller or distributor of that LaBelle frame, I would think that you would find the knife desirable from a researcher's point of view, regardless of what blades are in it.

Do you know how many variants of the initialed LaBelle bolsters there were?

This one makes at least three, it seems.

Charlie Noyes

[OLD GAR]

I have only bought one knife from him and was satisfied with the transaction - - - but I am certainly no expert and could be taken for a ride on high dollar stuff like this one - -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VERY-RARE-W-R-C ... _771wt_740

[OLD GAR]

consider this! is the seller trying to hornswoggle (loved using that word) or is he just uneducated in the historical knife industry? A person that has seen as many knives as he has sold would surely know something about them. The "R" he refers to, is the first letter of the original seller of this knife. I am not sure just what that is at this time, but it sure as heck aint CASE!

Ok. . . I have so little background in real "VINTAGE" Case knives that it isn't even mentionable.

Here then are my questions - -

1. Are the two blades genuine?
2. If they are, then why would someone do a mod and waste those blades in a bogus (?) frame?
3 do the "Experts" have any corroborating evidence that this isn't Case?

Is there any way this can be explained without trashing the seller for, in some experts opinion, what seems to be a knife with a cloudy history. Or are the experts intent on "hornswoggling" ignorant guys like me - - -

[thefarside]

Old Gar asked:
1. Are the two blades genuine? Without the knife in hand it is hard to say, but I can share I am not impressed from the photos. I have never owned a W.R. with a master blade that wasn't tang stamped on the nail nick side (this one is not). I don't like the look of the long pull, it doesn't look W.R. to me. The majority (if not all W.R.'s I have owned had pattern numbers, this knife does not.
2. If they are, then why would someone do a mod and waste those blades in a bogus (?) frame? This seller has had success selling old questionable Case knives in the past, I have to assume it is all about the money
3 do the "Experts" have any corroborating evidence that this isn't Case? The frame is from a Labelle barlow - Labelle only made knives 1884-1888 and W.R. Case knives were made after 1900 - that and the fact this knife has no resemblance to any W.R. I have ever seen in a book or in person makes that decision easy for me.

Is there any way this can be explained without trashing the seller for, in some experts opinion, what seems to be a knife with a cloudy history. Or are the experts intent on "hornswoggling" ignorant guys like me I am not sure what you are asking here, but it seems to me people with some understanding of old knives have been politely saying this knife is not an honest W.R. Case barlow, so take that into account if you have any interest in purchasing it.

Jim

[PA Knives]

Gang,

For a collector of odd knives and realizing it is NOT an original CASE or LaBelle, one may purchase it for that reason. Maybe to piece together a better example of one or the other from additional parts. Example, if I had a LaBelle with poor handles but decent blades, I might consider having it rehabed! Same for the CASE, although as mentioned earlier, I question the CASE blades as original. Can't say unless I had them in hand. So yes Charlie, I wouldn't mind owing it for that reason, but I wouldn't pay much for it and I have never rehabed a knife, but one could.

I want to correct one misstatement about LaBelle, They did make LaBelle knives into the early 1900's. They were made by Mr. Black in Pennsylvania, he bought the company and changed the name. If you read last months issue of Knife World, it was on the cover. I wrote it and researched it to death.

[Elvis]

I read, and really enjoyed the article. Keep writing!

[whitebuffalo58]

It still kills me that this seller has almost 30,000 transactions and a 100% feedback. I really need this guy pickin' my lotto numbers!
As far as the knife in question, I wouldn't have known it wasn't the real McCoy. Never seen anything like it.

WB

[knifegirl888]

thanks dave, here is an old labelle three blade barlow with that bolster mark.
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/o ... belle-conn
i wonder what it finally sold for.

Here ya go, Chet.

Old 1800's RAREST BARLOW 3 BLADES LABELLE CONN. KNIFE
eBay Image 1 Old 1800's RAREST BARLOW 3 BLADES LABELLE CONN. KNIFE 2
Sold For: $ 345.00

Sold Date: 06/24/2008
Channel: Online Auction
Source: eBay
Category: Sports

LABELLE (1884-1891)--located bridgeport, conn..NEW ENGLAND CUTLERY-BARLOW-3 3/8 INCHES CLOSED- 3 BLADES ALL SNAP & ALL MARKED-BLACK HANDLES AND THEIR TRADEMARK BELL ON THE BOLSTERS- ONE OF THE RAREST BARLOWS OR AMERICAN COMPANIES YOU WILL EVER SEE & BE ABLE TO OWN.... {FROM MY PERSONAL HISTORICAL COLLECTION OF MANY YEARS}

[chetr1200c]

thanks kathy, i figured it was pretty rare. your collection would be a real treat to drool over. you would need plenty of wipes if i was to look at it.
see you in lewisburg i hope.
chet