The News from ElephantToenails.com

The agony of defeat. Moments ago, I lost a knife I wanted, but just not enough.

I am talking about being runner up in an auction. I just didn’t want to pay retail price. While I do have several already, I didn’t have a pearl with XX stamped out on the blade, in this condition.

In case you haven’t been out prospecting for toenails over the last week and didn’t know there was a Case Brothers pearl toenail up for auction. It was being sold for the executor of an estate in Michigan.

Less than a minute ago the bidding closed. While the number of bidders was limited to 7, it narrowed down to two once the bidding got over $1000. Me and the eventual winner.

Guys, this knife was a keeper. It was an Excellent + to Near Mint example of a 100 year old Case Brothers pearl toenail.

While I wallow in my grief, I’ll close with its picture. Oh yeah, I almost forgot- it sold for $3439.99. It was worth it too. Congratulations to the winner!

When my wounds heal, I’ll post in under Recent Sales here at ET.com. The post about its pearl handles were shown here earlier today.

Got a little time before I head off to church this morning, so thought I would give y’all another one to ponder-

Your assignment today, should you choose to accept it, is to identify this brand. One of these, for sure, is believed to be a contract knife.

On this one, if you are able to identify the manufacturer(s) (regardless of whether you guessed the brand correctly or not) and support that claim, you’ll win a lifetime subscription to Cutlery News Journal, including the Weekend Editions.

Here you go-

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Continuing with the series of identifying this toenail, I have another for you to test your skill.

The question today is “What Brand is this toenail?”

As we have already pointed out, a knife brand (make) could have been made on contract by a different manufacturer, so if you name the manufacturer instead of the brand, that is cool. It won’t win, but will get you honorable mention.

Here you go-

Today’s knife is actually a picture of three (I thought I’d make it a bit easier).

Name the Brand stamped on these toenails

Click through for the answer

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You probably know that our favorite knife pattern probably has more documented names (nicknames) than any other pattern- The list includes, Old Honesty, Butterbean, Pumpkinseed, Red Eye, Toenail, English Rope Knife, Toe, Sunfish, Camp Knife, Pocket Axe, Vest Pocket Axe (my favorite), Jumbo, The Bulldog and probably others.

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED?

I know it has been a topic of conversation as to when Case first referred to the toenail as an “Elephant Toenail” in one of their catalogs. Do you care to guess when this first occurred?

The answer is- Case first used the nicknamed for the 6250 pattern as an Elephant Toenail in their Cat. #70 published in 1968. Did you get it right? This is not to say, the knife wasn’t referred to as an Elephant Toenail prior to that, but that was the first time Case used it in one of their catalogs.

Second question- When was the first time Case used the nickname “Sunfish” in one of their catalogs?

The answer is- Well, it was also in the same catalog #70 from the same year.

I want to thank Brad Wood for researching this question for me in his extensive collection of Case catalogs. In fact, as Brad researched this question for me, he made an observation, one he had not noticed before. In going all the way back to the earliest Case catalog he owns (c. 1934) he concluded, “I hope this information is helpful. It was interesting for me too to see the first time Case listed nicknames for its patterns in catalogs was 1968 (prior to that the knives were simply referenced by the pattern numbers. SK). I had never notice that before.” Thanks Brad.