The News from ElephantToenails.com

Many of you many remember our fellow toenail collector, Russ Altamore. Russ passed away in 2005. Today, I was contacted by the executor of his estate about his knife book library.

It’s now on eBay. This set is an excellent jump start library.

Here’s the list-

* Pocketknife Trader’s Price Guide - Volume 5 by Jim Parker - very good condition with minor signs of wear
* Pocketknife Trader’s Price Guide - Volume 6 by Jim Parker - Looks to be in excellent condition
* American Premium Guide to Knives & Razors Identification and value guide by Jim Sargent - minor signs of wear
* The American Blade Collectors Association Price Guide to Antique Knives by J. Bruce Voyles - good condition - minor signs of wear
* Knife Album by Colonel Robert Mayes - great condition except for damage to front lower spine. Does not affect pages
* Price Guide to Pocket Knives 1890-1970 by Jacob N. Jarrett - Excellent condition
* Counterfeiting Antique Cutlery by Gerald Witcher - Used condition on front and rear cover - pages are in very good condition
* The Sword And Knife Makers Of Germany 1850-2000 - Vol 1 - A-L by Anthony Carter - Excellent condition
* The Knife Makers Who Went West by Harvey Platts - Excellent condition of book except for wear on the hard cover’s cover
* Cattaraugus Cutlery Co. Identification And Values by Roy Ritchie & Ron Stewart - Excellent condition
* New England Cutlery by Philip R. Pankiewicz - Very good condition with light signs of wear
* The Best of Knife World Volume III  - Very good condition - very little signs of wear
* The Complete Book of Pocketknife Repair by Ben Kelley Jr. - Very good condition
* The Standard Knife Collector’s Guide Identification Values Fourth Edition by Roy Ritchie and Ron Stewart - Excellent condition
* The Standard Knife Collector’s Guide Third Edition Identification Values by Roy Ritchie and Ron Stewart - Torn front cover - pages are in good condition
* The International Price Guide To Antique Knives by J. Bruce Voyles - some wear - good condition
* Big Book Of pocket Knives Identication & Values by Ron Stewart & Roy Ritchie - Excellent condition
* International Blade Collector’s Association Price Guide to Commemorative Knives - 1960-1990 by J. Bruce Voyles - Excellent condition
* Levine’s Guide To Knives And Their Values - 4th Edition - torn front cover on lower side - 2 small tears in the botton first 2 pages.
* The Official 1981 Price Guide To Collector Knives - Third Edition by James F. parker and J. Bruce Voyles - Very good condition
* Twelfth Official Price Guide To Collector Knives by C. Houston Price - good condition but cover and some pages are bent. These can be pressed out

You want an interesting conversation- ask collectors of vintage knives about how they feel about rehandled knives. The purists won’t have anything to do with them, while the practicals say if the part is original to the knife then it is a collectible.

Well what about when it comes to pearl handles? Pretty hard to find replacement scales that are original. It is much easier to find bone. So, what do we do when an old pearl handled knife that has had its handles replaced with newer pearl handles?

One question that must be answered is “How do I know the knife originally had pearl handles and it is not a bone handled knife replaced with pearl?” That is difficult to determine in many cases. We have to go back and look at the old catalogs and billheads to determine if the knife was ever produced in pearl.

Then we must look at the pattern numbers on the knife to see if it matches the records, like the 8250 and 8251 Case stamp. Many old knives will not be that easy. Old records can be difficult to get our hands on.

We must also look at the maker of the knife. Were they known to produce toenails in lots of variations? If they did, then it is likely they made pearl toenails too. In the case of contract knives, the same applies. Again, many times we can conclude pearl toenails were likely to have been made.

You can see we can’t simply rush to judge here. We must do some digging. We do know pearl toenails are rare. Recently we looked at a pair of nice old pearl handles. The newer ones are fairly easy to spot. So, for toenail collectors, how do we value pearl handled knives with newer handles?

As far as I’m concerned, I do want original pearl handles, no doubt. These knives are right up there at the top in desirability and value. Toenails known to be authentic pearl toenails but had their scales replaced with newer handles are still desirable. It is going to be up to the collector as to if they see them as collectible and if they do how they value them. What about the toenails that can’t be nailed down to have been produced in pearl? Maybe that maker did or didn’t. We just can’t make a definitive determination. Again, I think it is going to come down to the preferences of each individual collector. Personally, I’m not going to not buy an old toenail with newer pearl solely because I don’t know for a fact that knife wasn’t ever produced in pearl. I’m a potential buyer, but it is going to be a function of the price.

Tomorrow, I’m going to post two pearl toenails that are for sale right now, so be thinking about your personal criteria and preferences- especially if you haven’t ever thought about it before.

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.

Got a chuckle today. Have you seen the Case Bros toenail on eBay right now?

This seller has a $2000 Buy It Now. Then he goes on to say he doesn’t expect to get $2000                            

You tell me what it is worth?

If you are an eBay watcher then you have undoubtly noticed the decent quality toenails going off there lately. Late today, another knife friend passed on one to me that has just been added.

While Camillus doesn’t seem to rank up there with Platts, Case Brothers, Napanoch and W R Case & SON and the other grade A Brands, Camillus is still a fine brand and one that should move up a notch or two with them shutting down in 2006.

While I do I a number of them, I am not a Camillus expert, but from what I have read it seems the 4 line is the older model.

This one is worth checking out-

Roger Cunningham, the ETCC Vice President, pointed out a Jumbo Swellcenter is being auctioned on eBay right now.

Here’s what the seller has to say about it-

“I have a great old sunfish knife up for bid.  It is a W.R. Case and Sons, winterbottom bone with full blades and excellent condition.  This knife is built on the old Platts frame, and I am dating it at about 1903.  These knives book at 3500 if you can find one .  This one is in great condition.  It takes a thick thumbnail to open it, the backspring is that strong.  Nice winterbottom bone handles make this an extremely rare piece.”

I’m not sure about the date being able to be pinned down to a single year.

Too bad the seller dictated a starting bid of right at $2000 to get into it. Personally, I am convinced an item will bring its worth without forcing buyers to start at a wholesale price. Plus, the market is deep enough (sufficient demand) that it would have brought what it was worth. We may have been willing to spend $2000- $5000 after being caught up in the fever, but he is asking us to commit to spend $2000 cold.

It will be interesting to watch a quality knife sell today via eBay. Before I bid, however, I would ask for additional close-ups of the handles and stamps, for sure. These are my favorite swellcenter handles. I don’t know they are technically Winterbottom. I was told by Joe Seale they called Platts Bone. But, I’m OK with Winterbottom bone if you are.

One of our members of the Elephant Toenail Collector Club brought to my attention a Napanoch Toenail for sale on eBay right now.

Napanoch is a rare and sought after brand, and is another one of those very early toenail makers. 

According to Rhett Stedham’s book entitled, Napanoch, “A White Man’s Knife with a Red Man’s Name,” this knife company was incorporated in 1909, but had been making knives prior to that. He goes further to say, “In 1905 the knife company became first known as the Napanoch Knife Company.”

Winchester Repeating Arms Co. bought them in June of 1919. The original founders of this firm later (1921) founded Honk Falls Knife Co., another very rare brand. In fact, these men returned to the original Napanoch plant where they started Honk Falls (Winchester had moved Napanoch to New Haven, CT).

Goin’s states the founders of Napanoch were making knives as early as 1900.

In its early years Napanoch made knives on contract for several firms that sold toenails, including, Wilbert Cutlery Co., Hibbard, Spencer & Bartlett, Challenge Cutlery Co., Henry Sears, and, of course, W. R. Case & Son!

As a side note- we understand the years of W. R. Case & Son to be 1902- 1903, so we know Napanoch was making toenails then.

Napanoch is another major player in the early history of Elephant Toenails.

One of the charter members of the Elephant Toenail Collectors Club found him a jewel recently on eBay.

Again I’m reminded as I write this that toenails are out there, we just have to look for them. Rarely will a rare toenail land in our lap, but they are out there to be found. Personally, I think there will be some come back into circulation over the next couple of years so be ready.

Anyway, this particular knife was headed ” Old, rare knife Tidioute.” See what I mean about seeking…

No mention of “Toenail,” or “Sunfish,” instead the seller simply referred to it as a “folding knife.”

While the knife did sell for better than $700, my guess is only the Tidioute (Union Cutlery Co brand) buyers were in on this, and not the toenail collectors in general (save one). It probably would have brought even more had it been labeled for what it was- a Toenail.

For an extra bonus- it is one of the rarer of the Union stamps- Union Razor (1902- 1909!

I know many of you watch eBay, but in case you missed this one-

Case Brothers Toenail

Yesterday the auction closed on a nice looking Case Brothers wormgroove bone handled toenail. The bidding was active with 11 bids and the final bid price was $415.

In the end, the seller’s reserve was not met. But for my purpose here, let’s look at a couple things-

From the photos put up the knife looked good and the seller’s description was good.

I always have to look at what the seller didn’t say. In this case, I don’t see anything about the degree of legibility of the stamps. 

Also, the seller says “the snap is good,” but does this mean “acceptable” or did he mean really good? Probably only “good” as in acceptable.

The masterblade was reshaped. Interesting. Makes me wonder if it had broken at some point, or if someone just wanted to make it a clip blade for the heck of it….who knows. Yes, the masterblade is very short too.

The question is did the reshaping and length of the masterblade “set” the price or was it the lack of info on the clarity of the stamps? Or a combo.

We know a Excellent condition or better Case Brothers can command a price above $2000. We saw several sales in 2008/07 to support this fact. So, what “set” the price here at under $500? (I am not grading this particular knife as Excellent. If the stamps were poor and the snap is only acceptable, then considering the length and reshaped masterblade it is probably only Fair.)

Also, a “reserve” auction affects the final price negatively. In our auction business, an unreserved auction brings more money because bidders know it will sale. This could have been a factor.

Or is this price a reflection of the market conditions at this time?? Or did it bring all it was worth?

I’d love to hear comments back from any of you who actually bid on this knife as to why it was judged to have only been worth this price.

Case XX Greenbone

Did you notice the recent eBay auction of the Case XX? One heck of an auction for one jewel of a toenail!

Greenbone Case XX are rare- much more common are the redbones. Greenbones are believed to have been made in the early XX era. This seller reported it to have been made between 1040- 1955. I can go for that.

It had very active bidding with 34 bids. The final sales price was $853.

I posted it in Recent Sales.