Bulldog Sunfish

needbucks · Post by **needbucks** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:25 am

Not all that familiar with Bulldogs but saw this at the gun and knife show this past weekend.

Would this be the 1994 Sunfish that is described in the Pocket Knife Trader's Guide volume 7 on page 78?

It is described as a 3rd generation Pearl Sunfish with the 7 color blade etch, 49 made.

Your information is appreciated.

olderdogs1 · Post by **olderdogs1** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:38 am

It is a little hard to tell from the picture. I had that whole set at one time. Is one end larger than the other and how long is the knife. The knives in that set were a short run due to the fact that they were made on the fight'n rooster frame supposedly by mistake. Even though they book really high, the market at the time I had them was very soft on that partictular frame. I hope this helps but again a little more info on the knife would help make a positive identification. A great looking knife in any case.
olderdogs1

needbucks · Post by **needbucks** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:41 am

Thanks Olderdogs.

Yes, it has one end smaller than the other. It has the Fighting Bulldogs tang stamp. It is 4 inches long. It was right next to the one with the Peacock on the blade but I couldn't afford them both.

Thanks again.

olderdogs1 · Post by **olderdogs1** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:50 am

Does it have the fighting dogs tang stamp and I believe it may actually have the date on the tang stamp if I remember right? If so I would think it is definitely BKC#1001.
I have always really liked those sunfishes myself as well as the peacocks in that pattern.
olderdogs1

needbucks · Post by **needbucks** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 3:53 am

If it has the year on the tang it is under the bolster on this one but I would say that it probably doesn't have a date. It does have the fighting dog tangstamp.

olderdogs1 · Post by **olderdogs1** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:08 am

I couldn't remember about the date. The reason I mentioned it is a lot of the bulldogs produced in 1994 are dated but not all. I think that you almost certainly have BKC#1001. Booked for $500.00 in Parker's Book, Volume 7.

Fro the picture it looks like it also has some great pearl. Those are really big slabs on the big sunfishes. I heard that Frank Buster was mad when he found out that Bulldog had used that frame, could be just a rumor but it makes for interesting talk.
Olderdogs1

needbucks · Post by **needbucks** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 4:12 am

Well, I have a few Bulldogs and have always been impressed with the quality. I just never really have dug into the history of them much. One thing about them, the number produced is a lot lower than than most of the others out there. If the rest of the collecting world would look at Bulldog the values might go up.

Thanks for the information. Now I just wish I had picked up the Peacock as well.

Roger - 50/2050 · Post by **Roger - 50/2050** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 5:28 am

needbucks & olderdogs1,

I have three of these Pearl 4" closed Bulldog Sunfish & all three of mine show dates of 1994 on the Tang Stamps, the common term used for this frame was swell end & this tooling was only done in 1994.

1.) BKC #1001 - 1 of 49 run - two blade - Blue Gill main blade etch - Bowtie shield

2.) BKC #1005 - 1 of 28 run - two blade - Peacock main blade etch - Bowtie shield

3.) BKC #1003 - 1 of 8 run - single main blade - Blue Gill main blade etch - Bowtie shield

Jim Parker & Frank Buster frequently exchanged the use of frames, shields & cell handle colors on a lot of their knife patterns back in the day, same/same with Jim using some of the shields & cell handle colors from the Bulldogs on some of the Case Classic Prototypes as well!

"Texas collector", Roger - 50/2050

olderdogs1 · Post by **olderdogs1** » Tue Feb 06, 2007 11:31 am

Thanks, Roger, I was almost sure mine were dated 1994. I was just going by the Parker's books that say "short run only due to tooling mixup" and what some people say at the knife shows. Parker always spoke highly of Frank Buster in everything he wrote.
Olderdogs1