Most valuable old knife?

[gsmith7158]

I've only got four that I paid that much or more for.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

I've only got four that I paid that much or more for.

I can see why, beautiful knives!

I have a $500 knife but it only cost me (less than) $5 some 50 years ago when I bought it. I had no idea what it's value was until 7 or 8 years ago. In fact, I questioned it's legitimacy up until I started researching it.

The most I've ever spent on a knife was $150. It just about took the stuffin' out of me the first time I spent $80 for a knife (GEC).

Hey you big spenders. How about showing some of those $500 knives.

How about showin' your $500 knife

How about a $5 knife

[stockman]

A $5.00 and a $10.00 knife.

Harold

[RobesonsRme.com]

Other than the ultra-elaborate custom made folders that sell for huge amounts and I personally find patently and functionally unattractive, I think the most valuable vintage folding knife would be the pearl handled multiblade made by J. Ward of Bronxville, New York and given to Abraham Lincoln by a group of sanitation officials in Philadelphia.

I'm not talking about the six blade Congress he had in his pocket on the night he was assassinated. That one will never be for sale.

This one:

Scroll down a bit. and read it all.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... coln+knife

Charlie Noyes

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Other than the ultra-elaborate custom made folders that sell for huge amounts and I personally find patently and functionally unattractive, I think the most valuable vintage folding knife would be the pearl handled multiblade made by J. Ward of Bronxville, New York and given to Abraham Lincoln by a group of sanitation officials in Philadelphia.

I'm not talking about the six blade Congress he had in his pocket on the night he was assassinated. That one will never be for sale.

This one:

Scroll down a bit. and read it all.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showt ... coln+knife

Charlie Noyes

That's exactly the kind of thing I had in mind when I started this thread, thanks Charlie. That really is some phenomenal craftsmanship.

A $5.00 and a $10.00 knife.

Harold

Ok Harold, you beat me ten fold

[Mumbleypeg]

Not sure how "most valuable old knife" could ever be determined for sure, but these are definitely valuable, and definitely old. http://www.truewestmagazine.com/its-my-obsession/ Scroll down the article a ways and you'll see the knives (pictures follow below the text).

Ken

[RobesonsRme.com]

Pretty sure the Bowie knife with the brass blade guard has been pretty much universally discredited.

Charlie

[djknife13]

If I had to pick the most valuable out of this mess, it wouldn't be the prettiest or my favorite, if I had one. I'll probably miss a few but they are, starting with the Napanoch tool kit with the extra handle. Schrade un-issued black auto, Presto auto, Press button auto, Schrade Cut. auto, Larry Hayes sunfish (sorry, not a factory), Union Cut. slot knife, Catt King of the Woods L.B.,Catt. King of the Woods, Wade and Butcher horn Hawkbill gunstock, Press Button double end auto, Western States Stag folding hunter with Buffalo etch, nesar mint, HS&B 3 blade slot mint, Ka-Bar made Grizzly made for H.Sears and Son and Stamped as such and authenticated by several knowledgable experts, (Scales are replacements and knife isn't in very good shape but fires perfectly and is currently the only surviving one so stamped), Spanish Amer. War slot, horn purchased by wounded Minnesota soldier (13th volunteers) while he was recovering in a hospital in the Phillipines. Knife was made in France for the Filipino market and stamped as such. I have all the documentation. Case Tested sunfish, Wilbert and a Challenge 6 blade congress showing all blades with the two knives, IXL large clasp knife, stag, Marshall Wells sunfish (made by NYK), Holley Rip Van Winkle, Mayer and Grosh Saddlehorn Ulster, Ellenville NY saddlehorn, Union Knife Works clasp, W.Wagg (my best guess as the maker), true split back Hawkbill Stamped cuttlers to King William 1830's, marbles Safety Folding hunter, small size with original sheath. The second picture shows a pre- push button Schrade one armed man's knife from the civil war ear but wasn't owned by a soldier. It was owned and used by a farmer that lost his arm (as a fairly young man) to a steam threshing machine. He lived from 1850 to 1934. I was gifted it by his grand-daughter. I think she wanted $25 or so and wouldn't take more. Also shown, besides the Larry Hayes customs that were either full customs or some are from various parts salvaged from the Western Longmount plant when it closed, is a OVB picture handle large Coke I purchased for several hundred dollars and researched and found the family, homestead, and Post Office building, now a senior citizen center, It has a 1912 date on the picture. The Post office building is the only building left of the town. I showed all the knives because most are near or over the $500 mark, and all are at least several hundred dollars and the most expensive were several at around $400. T

he ones listed highest in the reference books I have, I got in the $20 or $30 range. The ones I paid hundreds for were all valued safely above what I paid and several I followed for a year or two until an opportunity came up to get them without breaking the bank such as a new owner getting the knife and me having something he wanted more than the knife he had just purchased. The most valuable? I guess you'd have to pick that one.____Dave

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Really nice knives there Dave. I hope to get a schrade push button auto one of these days.

[djknife13]

Really nice knives there Dave. I hope to get a schrade push button auto one of these days.

Thanks Knifeslinger. I waited a number of years before I bought my first one, and had to settle for less quality than I would have liked. Many of these knives were my "dream" knife and I never expected to ever see, much less own and they all seemed to take turns being either what I considered my most valuable and the one I was most excited to find. My all time dream knife was the Holley Rip Van winkle. It was listed in the reference books at $1200 to $1600 in fairly poor condition. I found one in a junk box for $20 and had to get it repaired for an additional $50 or so. I'm generally not a patient man, but sometimes it's the only way to get something that is otherwise out of reach. ____Dave

[knife7knut]

If I had to pick the most valuable out of this mess, it wouldn't be the prettiest or my favorite, if I had one. The second picture shows a pre- push button Schrade one armed man's knife from the civil war ear but wasn't owned by a soldier. It was owned and used by a farmer that lost his arm (as a fairly young man) to a steam threshing machine. He lived from 1850 to 1934. I was gifted it by his grand-daughter. I think she wanted $25 or so and wouldn't take more. The most valuable? I guess you'd have to pick that one.____Dave

WOW! Beautiful collection of some EXTREMELY rare pieces! Thank you for posting them Dave;along with the stories(the most important part IMHO).My favorite is the one armed man's knife and I am glad you were chosen to guard it for others to see;his grand daughter chose well.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

What exactly does a holley rip van winkle look like?

[jerryd6818]

I have a $500 knife but it only cost me (less than) $5 some 50 years ago when I bought it. I had no idea what it's value was until 7 or 8 years ago. In fact, I questioned it's legitimacy up until I started researching it.

The most I've ever spent on a knife was $150. It just about took the stuffin' out of me the first time I spent $80 for a knife (GEC).

Hey you big spenders. How about showing some of those $500 knives.

How about showin' your $500 knife

I thought you'd never ask. Fairbairn-Sykes Bead & Ring. A little bit about it:

"At that time other companies started to produce F-S fighting knives also.
In the autumn of 1942, the Rodgers firm also produced what may be the finest of all the wartime Fairbairn-Sykes knives: the Beads and Ridges model or Beaded & Ringed.

It is named so by collectors for its distinctive grip pattern of rings of tiny beads, spaced with sections of rings. The handle was cast in pure brass. The blades are delicate and uniform, and the weapon, though light, is perfectly balanced. They are all black or nickel finish knives. These knives are rare.

According to both Fredrick Stephens and Leroy Thompson the Beaded and Ringed Commando knife was a commercial variant for private purchase. This is not altogether correct. There are some rare cases of this type which were officially issued with the Broad arrow."

[Mumbleypeg]

Very nice Jerry - I believe you made a good purchase! That's the kind of find that keeps us looking, and makes the search worthwhile.

Here's a few that might meet the threshold. A couple of them were like yours in that I had no idea what they were worth when I got them. The Case XX 5383 was acquired in a trade over 40 years ago and it sure wasn't worth then what it's worth now, even with inflation accounted for. The Tested 5387 was on my "Grail" list for years. I paid too much for it but on knives like that, if you really want them you have to get them when/if you ever find them. The Case Bradford 8383, Challenge scout, and the tri-fold more or less found me, all interesting stories too long to tell here. Proving once again even a blind hog finds an acorn now and then. And the Tested PBB1050F was another Grail knife and a gift from my wife and boys - the most precious of all of them!

Ken

Case XX 5383

Case Tested 5387

Case Bradford 8383

Challenge copper scout

Case Bradford 6001 tri-fold

Case Tested PBB1050F

[djknife13]

Ken, that 5387 is awesome. I've never seen one of them and the gunstock pattern is rare in any make.___Dave

[djknife13]

What exactly does a holley rip van winkle look like?

The Holley is the inner one of the three wood handled folding hunters at about 2 o-clock in the circle. I saw one in one of my reference books and told my wife it was my dream knife and that I'd own one some day. She asked me what my chances are. I said zero. Holleys are rare and this was the priviest one in the book next to the Charter Oak knife at $1200 in fair plus condition. the next edition of that book raised it to $1600. About a month after telling her that, I found one with a broken spring in a junk box, bought it and got it professionally repaired by Larry Hayes (who made the customs I pictured. He repaired my Grizzly too. I paid about $100 to buy it, buy the scales and have it repaired. Sometimes you have to settle for a repaired dream.______Dave

[RalphAlsip]

This is a Case Tested XX 6172 clasp knife, which doesn't deserve a "most valuable" moniker. What makes it unique in my collection is that I believe I also have its original Tested era box. The box isn't valuable, but is rare to find one in my experience - especially with its knife.

[Mumbleypeg]

Ken, that 5387 is awesome. I've never seen one of them and the gunstock pattern is rare in any make.___Dave

Thanks Dave. When I finally found it I couldn't help myself. The other Dave (Mr. B) would say it rooskied me! A reverse rooskie!

Ken

[jlw257]

Jerry, Thats awesome to find a box that goes with the knife. Looks like a Grail Knife to me


Larry

[zp4ja]

What Larry said. Great knife and old box JerryH.

Here is one of probably quite a few that fits the bill. Paid 700 bucks for it which was a fair deal for both buyer and seller. Would do it again in a heartbeat. As to OP subject, what makes it valuable (not from a monetary perspective per say) is that these are rarely seen and I have never seen one previous in this near mint condition.

Bought it off a retired LEO who worked for Long Beach, CA PD. Spoke to him on the phone a few times. Great guy. Old school like me. Says "I will send knife. Return if you don't like it or send a check".

Said he bought from a hardware store in Long Beach in late 1960's. Tucked it in his safe where it sat for ~55 years until I contacted him.

Rare knife in near mint condition.CASE XX USA 61111-1/2L "extra one in pattern number" factory error.

Jerry

[SolWarrior]

I did just buy one for $272, I've never spent that much on a single knife before.

I know what knife you paid the $272 on. I was hoping to bid on it but it shot up way out of my price range. A very nice knife indeed. Glad you got it.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

I know what knife you paid the $272 on. I was hoping to bid on it but it shot up way out of my price range. A very nice knife indeed. Glad you got it.

Thanks! It kind of shocked me how fast it went up, that was a really close one. When it comes in I will put some pictures in its respective sub forum. Sorry you missed out, keep up the diligence and you will find a good one

[SolWarrior]

Thanks. I'll keep at it, for sure. I was a little concerned with the main blade's shape at the tip. (Not very experienced here) I wasn't sure if it was reshaped. Other than that the blades all looked full, almost like new. I've never owned one of those... ..and with peach seed? Wow, very nice! I look forward to your photos.

[Mumbleypeg]

Nice one NevadaJerry! Great story with it also.

It's strange but that factory error is one of the the only (if not the only) factory errors that increase a knife's value. I have no idea why, but without a doubt it does. My guess is that it's a popular pattern for collectors already, and there were a limited number made that got out before the error was corrected, so folks in the know are on the lookout for them. It's not a "one off" thing like a double-stamped tang or such.

Ken

[Mumbleypeg]

I forgot about this poor old thing. Candy stripe pen marked Case & Son's (with apostrophe) on both blades. Only made in 1903-04. Had no idea what it was worth when I found it. (I just liked the swell center shape and knew it was old and in great shape considering its age.). Wasn't until I got it home and studied it with a loupe that I realized what I had found. Probably not worth $500 (Sargent's 7th says $750 mint) but it's the only Case & Sons I've ever seen in hand.

Ken