2009 Vintage Toenail Price Guide
I have frequently been a critic of the formula approach to price guides, but as I have attempted to value toenails for purchase (and a few sales), I have struggled to make sense out of my approach.
I know we have old timers who have established a ranking to each brand (as well as my attempt here at ET.com). Generally, I have accepted their ranking of the various brands. There will be exceptions, but we must establish a reliable benchmark to work with. I will admit also, irregularities are expected from time to time (an obscure brand, highly motivated buyer or seller, etc).
While I don’t want this guide to be too general, there are many particular characteristics that could be attempted to be figured in, but for the sake of keeping this guide somewhat easy to use, I won’t differentiate all aspects we encounter. Note: this guide is for vintage toenails, not other knife patterns.
For the purposes of this guide the benchmark toenail is-
- Pre-1940 model,
- Brown bone,
- Standard style,
- Excellent condition
Brand*: Brand ranking is generally based on years made, popularity, age, history of maker and availability/rarity of known toenail makers to date.
Very High: $2500 C. Platts; Case Brothers; Case Mfg.; J D Case; Little Valley Knife Association; MSA (Marbles); Miller Brothers; Napanoch; Platts Brothers; Standard Knife Co.; W R Case & Son; W R Case & Sons
High: $1250 Case TESTED XX; Case Bradford; Cattaraugus; Crandall; Excelsior Knife Co.; Hammer Brand; Honk Falls; John Jay; Lockwood Bros.; New York Knife Co.; Pine Knot; Phoenix Knife Co.; Stiletto; Union Razor; Union Cut. Co.
Medium-High: $850 Barnsley Bros; Bridge Cut. Co.; Buhl Cut. Co.; Dwight Devine & Sons; Hartford; Henry Sears & Son; Marshall Wells; Robeson; Ulster; Wilbert Cut. Co. Zenith (NYKC);
Medium: $600 A J Jordan; Adolph Blaich; Aerial; Axel Nielsson; Blish Mize & Silliman; Camillus; Challenge; Clay; Colonial; Cutsure; Eagle Knife Co.; Fletcher; George Saunders; H. Boker; Hackett,Gates, Hurty; Harris Bros.; Hibbard Spencer & Bartlett (Utica, Camillus); Inox, Jaeger Bros.; John Chatillon; John Primble; Ka-Bar; Kelley How Thomson Co.; Maher & Grosh; McIntosh Heather; Norvell, Schatt & Morgan; Shapleigh; Sword; Tom Ray; Townley; Our Very Best (OVB); Utica; Valley Forge; Van Camp; )
Low: $400 Case XX; Romo; Current productions, excluding Classics; Unstamped toenails
* The ranking are as commonly accepted among dealers and collectors. An individual collector’s preferences may vary.
Depending on the Brand classification of a particular toenail, the following percentages should be added (+) or subtracted (-) from the benchmark value.
Style: Standard: 0%, Swellcenter: Robeson standard style +15%, Jumbo (Platts/WR Case) +50%, Tear drop: (Henry Sears & Son) +5%
Handle Material: Pearl +100%, Genuine Stag/Rogers/Winterbottom/Tortoise +50%, Bone 0%, Ebony -15%, Composite/Hard Rubber (Platts -10%; other -25%), Celluloid -35% * Case XX- Greenbone +350%, Rogers bone +250%, Redbone +100% *Case TESTED XX-Greenbone +50%
Etching: Etch/stamping +30%
Condition: Mint +100% (there will be very few vintage toenails in Mint Condition), Near Mint +50%, Excellent 0%, Very Good -25%, Good -35%, Fair -50%, Poor -75%
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