All About Pocket Knives

Just got this fancy old Camillus with genuine pearl, milled liners, and file worked springs, still in the original box with sleeve and original plastic packaging. Does anyone know anything about these high-end Camillus knives? It's a great example of the top of the line knives Camillus made.

What a beautiful knife.

Stunning!!

I have seen a few of the pearls over the years, but never one quite like that.
I have never heard of filework being done at a production level, especially then.
I suspect it was made for someone special, or to mark an important event.

Congratulations! I have never seen it's equal.

I will leave the details & dating to my old friend Camco!

Beautiful pearl ya got there

Yes, that is a mighty fine knife, I'd be proud to carry that pretty piece of art. Congratulations! That is mighty fine pearl, looks presentation quality and presentation doesn't always have quality color like that.

Thank you very much, it's definately one of my favorites and the fit and finish is excellant. It's probably the best knife in my collection as far as quality, condition, chances of finding another, and pretty much any other catagory I can think of.

WOW!!



Bill

Simply Beautiful! Wish I had that one in my little collection.

That knife is stunning! Really like the pearl and file work. I have a stupid question to ask, it appears to be a pen knife, but with the third file blade, is it in fact considered a pen knife? I've always thought pen knives only had two blades, but now I'm beginning to wonder.

Forensic Jim wrote:That knife is stunning! Really like the pearl and file work. I have a stupid question to ask, it appears to be a pen knife, but with the third file blade, is it in fact considered a pen knife? I've always thought pen knives only had two blades, but now I'm beginning to wonder.

That beautiful knife is constructed like a whittler! Notice the slim wedge between the backsprings. Ups its value IMO!
Some call this a whittler; BRL disagrees in LG4.
Great knife!

Simply stunningl

This is a very special knife as stated by Phil Gibbs. Definitely not a production item-perhaps one of a kind. Maybe given to a retired Camillus employee.
It appears to be a #80 pattern with bolster tips. I have seen many knives that were this pattern with Nu-Pearl or Sea-Pearl handles (imitation), but rarely geniune pearl. The tang stamp and cellophane rapper are post WWII.
Do you have any background on this knife? Where did you get it?

Tom Williams

Well, I'm kinda ashamed to say I bought it online, I really don't like buying knives that I can't look at in person, but this was an exception. The seller did tell me they thought that it had been a gift to a family member sometime in the 1950's. I forgot to mention that it is marked 61 on the reverse of the tang. Thanks Everyone.

I am new to the world of knives and to this site, but I am here to learn and I have a question. Please forgive my ignorance but when you guys refer to real pearl scales what exactly is that particular material. When I think of pearl I think of an oyster pearl and it is obvious that pearls do not get big enough to produce those slabs.

We're refering to mother of pearl sometimes shortened to "MOP" or just "pearl". It's the shell of an oyster. Mother of pearl has iridescent colors through out it and is very beautiful. It has been imitated with plastics for many years, but none come close to the colors of real pearl. I'm sure others can tell you a lot more about it.

The oyster for this MOP is Pinctada Maxima from South East Asia, primarily the Phillipines and Indonesia and now - China. The Gold Lip and white pearl (MOP) comes from the shell of the same species, just the other side of the shell. The Gold Lip is on the outside and white pearl on the inside. This species can be of dinner plate size (12 inches in Diameter). MOP also comes from abalone and other shellfish.

The Black Lip Pearl (my personal favorite) is Pinctada Margaritifera which is from French Polynesia around Tahiti and its Archipelagos. I have purchased 1/8 inch Black Lip Pearl to 3-1/2 inches ($250.00) and 3 inches ($200.00), that's a lot of $$$ and they only get about 6 that big every year where I purchased them. I was talking to Michael Prater and if it were 3/16 inch thick it would cost $1,500.00 for 3-1/2 x 1 x 3/16.

Welcome to AAPK!

OOOOOOOOH! Well that makes much more sense to me now. Thanks buddy.

Another Knife Collector wrote: ↑Tue Apr 15, 2008 11:02 pm Just got this fancy old Camillus with genuine pearl, milled liners, and file worked springs, still in the original box with sleeve and original plastic packaging. Does anyone know anything about these high-end Camillus knives? It's a great example of the top of the line knives Camillus made.

Phil ,not sure if you still check in here but will ask ,do you have this Beauty still ? Been going thru old posts lately and sure been seeing some nice stuff from the early days on the forum. And the amount of knowledge here that’s been compiled here over the years is great .
Hope to hear from you.

He hasn't checked in since October, might want to send a PM.