All About Pocket Knives

I was reading through a recent thread and they refered to Voyles ABCA Guide to Antique Knives. 1990 and 1995 editions. I don't have either, but what I do have is Voyles IBCA Guide to Antique Knives. It is copyright dated 1995 and states that it is a second edition.
I tried doing a Google search for International Blade Collectors Assoc., but only found references to the books. Did the ABCA and IBCA co-exist at the same time and does the IBCA still exist today?
I don't know about the ABCA books, but the IBCA guide I have is an excellent source of info.

Thanks, WB

i always wondered about both associations too. interesting what will be said about them. i probably have 1/2 dozen abca. i do know that was james parker's baby. but i don't know the start or demise of that club.

I never belonged to either. Seems like the ABCA evolved into the IBCA. I don't know about Jim Parker's involvement, but Bruce Voyles was essentially the head of both.

Seems like Blade Magazine was started as an arm of the ABCA.

The 1990 book on antique knives is ABCA and the 1995 edition is IBCA.

They are essentially the same book. There is little, if any, difference in the content. I don't know if the price estimates were changed upward in the later edition or not.

The earlier book, to me, is the most desirable. It's printed on heavier paper, is half again thicker than the 1995 edition and the covers are of heavier stock, as well. I even like the cover photographs more.

The second edition has an interesting story attached to it. Bruce sent out some ads to purchase, for one reasonable price, five books on knives. The second edition of Price Guide To Antique Knives was to be the first, followed by books on modern knives, then commemorative knives, custom knives, etc. Purchasing all the books at once was a good deal less expensive than buying them individually at the projected times of publication.

So, I purchased the series.

Problem was, the books to follow were long in coming and I think only one was ever actually done. To his credit, Bruce contacted me, and I assume everyone else, that had purchased the series to let us know it was not going to be completed. There was some refunding agreed to. I was happy with it. I think they did finally publish the book on commemorative knives, but I never bought it. I don't think any of the others made it to press.

Bruce sold Blade Magazine to Krause Publications and I guess the IBCA died at that time.

Still, Bruce's book on antique knives is my second favorite reference after Levine's Guide.

At the time Bruce did the 1990 edition, he had just purchased a collection of over four hundred Robeson pocketknives and he photographed them and did a very nice Robeson section. There are knives shown in the book that I can only dream about.

You guys may think I have a nice collection, but whoever Bruce bought those knives from had amassed a collection of mostly mint Robeson knives that is still, today, unbelievable.

Charlie Noyes

RobesonsRme.com wrote:Still, Bruce's book on antique knives is my second favorite reference after Levine's Guide.

I like Voyles book much better than Levine`s guide

What I like about it is the layout and the cutlery related ephemera sprinkled about the book, real photos not catalog cuts or drawings.

I use to dream about all the old cutlery knife boxes shown in his book, now I own all of them and then some.

RobesonsRme.com wrote:At the time Bruce did the 1990 edition, he had just purchased a collection of over four hundred Robeson pocketknives and he photographed them and did a very nice Robeson section. There are knives shown in the book that I can only dream about.

Which one do you dream about most Charlie?

Miller Brothers wrote: Which one do you dream about most Charlie?

The 3 1/2" gunstock jack with the Robeson logo stamped bolsters, 622182. They made another larger gunstock.

There was an essentially mint example of the larger one on Ebay years ago. I wenk berserk on bidding on that knife, but somebody else went berserker. I still regret not pulling the trigger on a final last minute bid. It was a fabulous knife. I copied the Ebay photos, but lost them in a hard drive crash later.

Charlie Noyes

charlie, i'm sorry to assume that jim parker was the creator of the abca. i might have been confused with his inspirational knife history. being the first president of the nkca, and the founder of the national knife museum, i only entertained the idea that he was the sole contributor to the start of the abca, especially since some of his knives are abca yearly club knives.
i know we cannot say enough about that man and the history of present day knife collecting.
again, i am sorry for any misinformation that i might have passed on. thats if anyone is silly enough to believe what i actually say...

Great info Charlie, just what I was looking for, thanks! I've never had a copy of the ABCA Guide, but sounds like maybe I oughta be lookin' for one.

Chet, Chet, Chet. What are we going to do with you?

I was not objecting to what you said about Parker and the ABCA. I was stating that I, me, myself, Charlie Noyes, did not know that he, Parker, had anything to do with it. He most certainly may very well have done so. He and Bruce Voyles worked together back then on numerous projects, investments and endeavors. ABCA was probably one of them. It's just that when I think of the ABCA, and Blade Magazine, I think of Bruce Voyles. He was the publisher and editor, I believe. He was the person with whom I communicated about purchasing all those proposed knife books.

That's all.

You have never posted anything that upset me and most probably never will. I ain't that easily upset. Must I start putting smilely faces after all my sentences?

White Buffalo, the books show up on Ebay every once in a while. You might try http://www.BiblioFind.com.

I have both editions, but I'm not sure I want to separate them.

Charlie Noyes

charlie, your smiles are always great to see.
i think i am going to look into buying that 1st edition, if it is still available, thanks for the post about all the other proposed but not published books. also i would love to see that robeson collection.

now to try and explan my earlier post..it is my unfortunate nature to be inarticulate and unclear with my statements. i am always learning, but as usual when i do learn something, i tend to forget it within the next day. but i do like to get involved with anything that interest me, so i say this to everyone here, please do not take whatever i say to the bank, because they might charge you for insuffiecent funds when you go to cash it.

after reading what bruce had to say when his friend jim parker passed away from lung cancer. it is pretty clear that he and jim were both very instrumental on a few undertakings in the knife industry, they were behind each other and along side each other every step of the way.. what an amazing friendship they had.

Anyone interested in old Robeson knives should have one or the other of these two books and the Dewey and Lavona Ferguson's Guide To Collecting Cattaraugus, Robeson, Russell and Queen Knives, 1976.

There happens to be one for sale on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pictorial-Price ... 3cc17c5fdf

Not my auction.

Charlie Noyes

That was quick

Yes, and cheap, too.

I know the condition wasn't great, according to the seller's description, but I've seen nice ones sell for $30.00 to $40.00.

Charlie Noyes

I have that book too. It is pretty good.

RobesonsRme.com wrote:Anyone interested in old Robeson knives should have one or the other of these two books and the Dewey and Lavona Ferguson's Guide To Collecting Cattaraugus, Robeson, Russell and Queen Knives, 1976.

There happens to be one for sale on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pictorial-Price ... 3cc17c5fdf

Not my auction.

Charlie Noyes

For you Robeson, Queen, Russell & Catt collectors:

There is anther copy of Ferguson's Guide To Collecting Cattaraugus, Robeson, Russell and Queen Knives for sale on ebay-
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... SS:US:1123


Not my auction & I am not bidding.