Heysinger “Novelty” knife

[Mumbleypeg]

Aside from the write-up in Goins’ Encyclopedia which includes the patent drawings from 1884, I’ve never seen one of these. There’s one for sale on eBay now. The seller is really proud of it - beyond my pocketbook. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-Rare-Nov ... SwnQtgHBPC

Per Goins’ the knife blade opens and retracts by gravity and locks/unlocks by manipulation of the thumb wheel. The blade can be removed and replaced. Patented by Isaac W. Heysinger in 1884, it is the first gravity-opener knife patented in the U.S. The seller says closed length is approximately 5 inches.

For posterity I’m posting several pictures from the seller’s listing.

Ken

[OLDE CUTLER]

Interesting knife and like you say, "beyond my pocketbook" too!

[Gunsil]

Those are pretty cool, but like you say, the seller has a crazy price on it. Most I find have a screwdriver rather than a knife blade. There is a larger version with a knife blade that is rarer than the one in the ebay link.

[Madmarco]

It's a nice, old, collectable novelty knife, but not anywhere near worth $1500. in this world or any other.

[btrwtr]

Interesting knives. I've seen a few over the years but never at a price I would entertain, much like the knife you posted Ken. Those I have seen were well worn and the mechanisms were sloppy. Not sure what the demand for them is. Auto eficianados might know what the value is.

[wiseguy]

Hey guys , so the one on ebay IS the larger model .... i have the smaller one with both knife and screwdriver blades, there are a couple more blades styles for them but I've never seen them. Been looking for a decent example of the large one for decades, there always pretty worn down of the maybe 4/5 ive come across. At the shows were stickered at around 5 to 7 hundred but that was back a few years so ..... id pay up to that for a cherry !

[btrwtr]

Super looking example wiseguy!

[Miller Bro's]

Here is one with the screwdriver blade.

[galvanic1882]

Nice Dimitri, Good to see you again.

[Stanwade]

Here is one with the screwdriver blade.

I really like this one!.. now I GOTTA have one .. not again...(I really have to quit reading every thread )

[Stanwade]

Here's a couple (fair shape) that sold on another website...

[Mumbleypeg]

Here is one with the screwdriver blade.

Dimitri! Good to "see" you again. You've been missed. Hope you are well, and thanks for the picture. Great example.

Ken

[Miller Bro's]

Nice Dimitri, Good to see you again.

Thanks Mike

[Miller Bro's]

Dimitri! Good to "see" you again. You've been missed. Hope you are well, and thanks for the picture. Great example.

Ken

Hi Ken!

Still suckin air as JerryD would say