The News from ElephantToenails.com

Over the last several months I’ve been watching and listening to collectible experts, including several from the knife collecting world.

As it relates to values of our collectibles, they are all in agreement that the best condition collectible is going to hold its own. It may or may not increase in value, but its value should be stable during our current period of economic uncertainty. However, collectibles that don’t qualify as “the best” will take it on the chin until the recovery takes hold.

This Case Bros stag brought 66% of its 2007 price

Yesterday, we got a real time example of a hit to the chin.

In November of 2007, a stag handled Case Brothers (5250) sold for $770.

Yesterday, May of 2009, that same knife sold for $510.

Without getting into the sellers’ reputation, condition (it was the same for both sales) descriptions/disclosures, a November vs a May auction date, a pre-Thanksgiving vs. a Memorial weekend auction closing date and other fine nuisances, what we saw was the same knife bring 66% of what it sold for a year and a half earlier. Both auctions were on eBay.

They called it TRAPPERS’ PRIDE

Like I promised I wanted to show you the toenail up close and personal from the Funsten Brothers catalog. I got off last night doing research on Funsten Bros- evidently they were major players in the fur trade industry in the 1800s and into the 1900s. Maybe more to come on that firm.

Let’s get to the good stuff. I love to find toenails in catalogs (Thanks again Steve).

Initially, this toenail was thought to be made by Ulster because several some of the other knives on that page are marked Ulster, or directly referenced. However, if you look very closely on the toenail tang stamp you can see “AN”. I went back and looked at that page and found a knife pictured to be an A J JORDAN.

I now believe the toenail is an A J JORDAN toenail pictured in this catalog.

The order blank in the back of this catalog shows 191__, so I’m unable to nail the date down any closer.

Now, to connect the dots- here’s some interesting info on A J Jordan. They were an import firm based in St. Louis- Goins’ has them dated 1878- 1926. They imported from England and Germany.

In 1911, Mr. Jordan’s son, Clay Jordan, acquired PLATTS BROTHERS CUTLERY CO. of Andover. He renamed the firm to Clay Cutlery Co. and A J Jordan acted as their selling agent. It is very likely Clay Cut. Co sold made knives stamped A J Jordan.

Good stuff, huh? It is possible this toenail was made in Germany (H. Boker & Henry Sears) and imported, or made at Clay.

Just to get you going- here’s my Clay Cut Co toenail. Looks like a match, doesn’t it?

Clay Cutlery Co. Andover, NY c. 1911- 1923

Another interesting point is- notice the single pull. Based on the order blank in the Funsten catalog, there is no doubt the knife for sale was made in the teens, so we know toenails were offered then without a double pull or long pull, both are commonly associated with knives produced in the early 1900s. The Platts Brothers standard style toenails only had a single pull too have both a long pull and regular pull.