The News from ElephantToenails.com

Do you know what and where The One Hundred Mile Circle is? Well, I am headed there tomorrow and to me it is hog heaven. It is the most historically rich 100 mile patch of territory in the entire United States. I’ve been there only once before 2 years ago, but I felt like I was on holy ground.

If you are a knife collector and into early American cutlery history, and have been in this region, then you know what I am talking about. If you aren’t familiar with this term, it is the 100 mile circle around Little Valley, NY.

According to Giles book, Case, The First 100 Years, there were over 73 different cutlery companies that have at one time been located in this magic circle. I soaked it in when I was there last and hope to do the same this trip.As you probably know, I head out tomorrow on my way into Bradford, Pa for the Case Collectors Appreciation Day. I will be landing in Buffilo and driving down.

Two years ago Case asked me to conduct their auction and they asked me back. On Friday night, we have 10 items that are sure to be treasured among collectors. As you also know we are having our first Elephant Toenail Collector Club meeting at 11:00 Saturday morning in the boardroom of the Case factory. Come be with us.

Last trip in I visited Cattaraugus and Little Valley. I wanted to go over to Eldred, but wasn’t to. I also when on a fun trip with the Case historic tour that takes you up to Little Valley to see the original factor sites and grave sites of the Case brothers and family.I’ll try to post while I am gone but for sure will at least once when I return.

I don’t know if you remember but here about a month ago you guys gave me the liberty to include an off the subject topic from time to time- well here you go.

How would you like to be able to search the web without having to type words into a search engine, instead you show it a picture of what you want it to find? Check this out! Talk about cool!! (more…)

Earlier today I was doing a little tweaking of ET.com’s keywords for those all important search engines (sorry for the geek talk) and ran across a timely bit of info. A real live old time public Auction. But not just any ole auction (like what I do) but this one’s got Toenails in it!

On March 30th, there is an auction with a fair amount of toenails/sunfish. The Auctioneer bills the sales as a “PRIVATE COLLECTION of at least 500 knives, such as: at least 15 Antique Sunfish knives, plus more than 100 newer collectible Sunfish knives; over 100 collectible pocket knives and more than 150 Antique pocket knives.”

Here is the link to the Auctioneer’s website. There you will find an inventory and pictures. The auction is being held in Liberty, PA at 10:30 AM. I don’t think they are putting these online for bidding but may allow phone or proxy bidding.

There are newer ones, like Case (from the ’70’s & ’80’s), S & W, Primble, Bulldog, Canal Street, Fight’n Rooster and maybe some others. Plus there are some old ones too, like Case Bros. Camillus, Harris Bros., Union Cut. Co, Hammer Brand (NYKC), HSB, OVB, Cattaraugus, etc.

There are lots of varieties and because it is an “on-site” auction I would guess some bargains are to be had. If you are going shoot me an email I may get you to check a couple out for me

There is a rumor shooting through the Knifedom that a crime was committed recently by someone who was obviously a toenail collector. The unfortunate thing is that it has been reported to have been committed by one of our members here at ET.com.

I was contacted by the authorities asking me to cooperate in their investigation. It seems an overly enthusiastic elephant toenail collector committed what is being called a crime of passion and remains at large. I would greatly appreciate it if you have any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator to contact the authorities.

We have all heard the jawboning by some that elephant toenails are hard to find, especially old ones in so-called collectible condition……well is seems one of us has gone to far in their quest.

Here’s the story as reported by the local newspaper after the crime was committed.

“Recently, a Thai elephant attracted worldwide attention when she had to be fitted with a temporary prosthesis.” Since the incident she has hobbled on three feet. Motola, a 44 year old female elephant, is expected to wear it until her leg strengthens and a permanent one can be put on according to her veterinarian.

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First off allow me to come clean. In case you don’t know it- I am a computer nerd (and yes, I do read software manuals, dozens of books on all the applications/programs I use), but since, from time to time the question comes up what computer do I use- well, for all you techies out there. I’m a Mac Man.

I know from reading the ET.com stats about 73% of the visitors to the site are using a windows based system running IE. Foxfire and Safari are about 18%.

I started using a Mac back in the late 1980’s with my first computer was a Quadra 650AV. Then a couple of years later I got me a Powerbook 5300cs. Eventually I had to switch over to a windows based system in order to access our office network. At the end of 07, I purchased an iPhone and then converted totally back over to an Intel powered MacBook Pro 17′ that allows me to run both the Mac operating system and windows XP (I didn’t upgrade to Vista). This enables me to still access our network and play on my Mac.

I will say, using the Mac is much more fun….now I’ve done it. Be nice with your posts here. We are family remember

I use iPhoto, iMovie, Final Cut Express and iWeb to produce my family website and blog. I also host two websites with blogs created in rapidweaver to help folks learn about the benefits of selling real estate by auction. When I get home in the evenings I plug into my 30 inch HD Apple Display and play away.

It was snowing when I left The Northwest Ga Convention Center earlier today, but the blustery day only added to making this a memorable trip for me. For you newer collectors who have yet to attend a knife show, you must make every effort to get to one.

Attending a knife show, for me, is about 1) scoping out the toenails for sale, 2) seeing the prices being asked for those toenails, 3) meeting knife folks, 4) visiting with the knife folks I know, 5) finding out the latest talk on the goings on in the Knifedom, And 6) having the opportunity to handle a lot of toenails and testing my learning on identifying the good ones from bad ones.This show was all of that and more! (more…)

Before I head out to work this morning, I just had to let y’all know y’all took care of me last night on the calendar auctions on eBay. I really appreciate it. My wife told me I was crazy, again, for making them in the first place and didn’t know who would want one. Well, heck- I would have even though I don’t have a paper calendar anymore- I use my phone for my calendar, but still I thought there would be some folks out there who would. You proved me right. Thanks.

It was fun to watch the auctions close. I knew two or three of the bidder’s ebay names and a couple of guys/gals who said they were going to take a run at one. I was very pleased with the final results…and for you who think I made out like a bandit- honestly, those sales covered cost. I know that is hard to believe, but it is true. Apple has a premium service at a premium price. But I will say, when those suckers hung at like 99 cents for three or four days, I thought, “oh, my gosh, surely there is someone who would want them.”

  It was a fun project and I don’t have any intentions of making any more. Can’t say I won’t, but not planning it at this time. Thanks again and hope the guys who bought them like them.Scott  

And we thought what we collected was big……

If you like 1) Knife folks, 2) Knife Auctions and 3) W R Case, then mark your calenders now for the Big Event for 2008! The date of the upcoming W R Case Collectors Appreciation Day is July 18th/19th in Bradford, PA.  I was honored to have been asked to be the guest auctioneer for the 2006 Swap Meet. I had a blast and guess I did an OK job because they have asked me to come back. I can’t wait. 

Many of you who have been around since I started ET.com back in 2003 know me pretty well, but what can I say- I’m nuts about old toenails.

I like the historic aspect of old cutlery firms, the Who/What/When and Why to them and their knives.

If you have visited the About Me link in ET.com you know how I got started back collecting knives and how I first got introduced to toenails.

I am a father of four wonderful kids, ages 12, 14, 16 and 18. My wife of 22 years thinks I am nuts, but is glad I have something relatively constructive to invest my time (but no money) in. We live in NE Alabama.

I am a principal in a national real estate auction firm and travel all over meeting with folks with real estate holdings.

I have limited my focus to only toenails and really only old ones. The older the better. I have been tempted by custom toenails and even once or twice by Classics.

What am I looking to purchase? Well, would love to find a pearl and stag MSA, a Case M250 (metal toenail), a stag Case Brothers 5251- to name a few.My favorite toenail? Well, honestly, I like most all of them. I like Jumbo swellcenters probably the best and winterbottom and Rogers bone (stag and pearl too!) handles on any brand. I would say celluloid toenails are my least favorite.

I do have outside interest and one of my most fun is driving top down in my Shelby

….see that wasn’t so bad, now its your turn.