The News from ElephantToenails.com

I know many of the members of the Elephant Toenail Collector Club are also members of the iKnifeCollector collector community, so I felt it was only appropriate to address my recent post there entitled: Rites of Passage- Memoirs of a Knife Collector. If you previously read my post, you probably wondered what is going with me selling toenails from my collection.

If you didn’t read my post, I shared with iKC that I sold three toenails from my collection and what this sale signified in my life as a collector.

I feel obligated to provide my toenail friends here at ET.com additional information on my decision. First off, the “What” involves my three H. Boker toenails. I have a knife friend I have known probably as long as any other. Prior to collecting toenails I collected H. Bokers and met this collector while hunting the Bokers.

He is as passionate about these knives as we are about toenails. In fact, I would venture to say he owns the largest collection of old Bokers than anyone in the Country. Plus, he bought a large number of knives from me when I sold off my Boker collection.

So, here is how it went down- Over the years we have remained in touch. He would send me info on toenails he ran across while he hunted for old Bokers. He owns close to every pattern, except our favorite- elephant toenails. And while he never approached me directly about selling any of the old toenail Bokers, he did ask me to keep my eyes open, so I know he has been actively looking for many years.

Well, there is a discussion over at iKC where members post what knives they are looking for and, yes, he posted he was looking for any H. Boker toenail, particularly the bone and pearl handled varieties.

I can’t quite explain what happened, but when I read his post I simply felt it was the right thing to do. Yes, I felt compelled to sell him the three Boker toenails I owned.

Needless to say, I contacted my knife friend to tell him I would sell him those knives. He was a true gentleman about it. I gave him the price and he agreed. There was none of the typical haggling that is associated with knife trading, and I appreciate it because that sale was a bittersweet event in my knife collecting life. It represented the first sale of toenails from my collection that weren’t either duplicates or knives I had upgraded from.

I don’t share this with you, my dear toenail friends, in an attempt to evoke sympathy, not in the least bit. Instead, this sale to my knife friend gave me tremendous satisfaction, as I knew he would enjoy those knives probably more than I had.

 As I shared with you in my last post- you know the one about the many branches of the tree trunk, my interest in bringing knife news and interesting tidbits to knife collectors has branched out. I have published a new weblog called Cutlery News Journal. 

You guys have supported me greatly here at The News and I appreciate the encouragement expressed to me in this effort. One thing I have learned during that time is while I have a tremendous interest in all things related to elephant toenails, I have experienced a growing interest in knives and cutlery history on a broader scale.

The Cutlery News Journal will provide me an avenue to share with all collectors, of all types of knives, news relating to all of knife collecting. You know I have worked very hard to keep The News as toenail specific as possible. I have intentionally passed up on other topics in an effort to stay true to my original goal here at The News. 

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Got the “heads up” the other day from a collector who has ordered a swellcenter custom made. I thought it was a cool idea and was surprised when a couple of weeks later was contacted by the actual knife maker. He confirmed the order and expressed his excitement about producing a custom made swellcenter toenail.

I have yet to ask permission to annouce the knife to the world at this point, but feel I can share with you some behind-the-scenes photos of this baby as it is being made.  This unique maker specializes in the old patterns- multiblade folders- and told me his favorite is the toenail. I’ll get the actual specs soon and hopefully will be provided additional shots of the final stages and finished produced. In the meantime, check out the creation of this old style swellcenter-

In case you haven’t heard yet, let me share my first-hand information I learned today about a rumor that has been circulating for about a week now of an extremely rare discovery by Case last week.

One of the aspects we benefit from when we specialize in a knife pattern as we do here at ET.com is because we are like blood hounds constantly tracking anything and everything toenail related, so when W R Case makes a “discovery,” as they often do, that affects us, we recognize its significance immediately.

Today, I was contacted by one of my friends who works for Case- actually he left me 4 messages, 3 emails and 2 texts to my phone. I couldn’t help but sense he wanted to talk to me pretty badly- I thought it was about my helping them with the auction at the Case Collectors Appreciation Day in July. But it turns out, it was something else.

Case was going through one of their old warehouses and found a small box back in the corner under a bunch of boards and papers. Upon opening it they found some knives. Actually they were all prototypes of knives from about 1915-1920.

One of these knives was- you guessed it- a toenail, but not just your every day run of the mill old Case toenail, this one was a prototype 4 blade toenail!

I couldn’t stand it! I wanted to hop on a plane right then and go see that jewel, but I knew that was out of the question at that time. Later than day, Case send me an email with an attachment. It was a picture of what has to be one of the rarest toenail known. Obviously, this knife was carefully cleaned (but not taken apart) by Case once they found it, along with the other knives they found.

So here is it-

BUT WAIT- LISTEN TO THIS CAUSE THAT IS NOT ALL: I also learned Case is going to donate that one of a kind knife to the Elephant Toenail Collectors Club! Can you believe it. They could have easily stuck this in their museum, or let me auction it at the Case Appreciation Day in July, instead they said because the knife has such significance and the toenail pattern is so overwhelming appreciated by the members here at ET.com that (more…)

I learned through the Rumor Mill there was a really great jumbo swellcenter in circulation (for sale) for $6500 at a recent show. Believe it or not, this price really doesn’t surprise me.  

Jumbo Swellcenters are highly sought after among collectors for several reasons:

• There are enough in circulation so that collectors know they aren’t counterfeits. 
• There are still many in EX+ to NM original condition.
• The handles are huge (one of the desirable traits we like about toenails to begin with).
• The master blade is gigantic and very appealing (unusual).
• They are different (in a good way) from the “standard” style toenail. 
• They have the highest demand level. 
• They represent some of the oldest known cutlery companies, namely Platts & W R Case, two pillars of American Cutlery firms.

I’ll see what I can run down to learn if it is a Platts or W R Case stamping and its handle (I’m sure it would be in NM condition). I got a lead about the name of the collector who left the show with it. I understand he bought it. Hang with me and I’ll get back with y’all.

In case you have heard the rumor let me confirm it is true, so at the risk of appearing to be opportunistic. I know I would be in deep trouble from some of you here at ET.com if I didn’t at least tell you what I have going on over on eBay. (more…)

I heard through the Rumor Mill there may be a Jumbo Swellcenter in production. This could be a hot number among collectors if done right (like stag handles). I know there has been encouragement for the holder of the Platts trademark to produce one, with no luck yet. I’ll keep my ear to the ground to see what I can learn. All I can say at this point is I hope it isn’t going to be a Rough Rider brand.