Buck Knives Retail Disply Case Help IDing Age

Here's a pic of the lock and key and it has a flat red pull out tray (with out the knives)... This is the same case I posted with the knives in it... ITE ... :thumbup:

Case...
PB020522.jpg
 
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Ok, thanks ITE . Thru our discussions Joe H. has confirmed to me, that is the key used thru the 80's . It has the correct number on it . Although I'm sure your display came before mine . Yours is of the first locking type but of the older style as others have written theirs has no lock just the hasp . Mine does not lay down like that but stands up right . I would suspect yours is 1980 and mine 81 or 82 after the switch was made to a different style display . The wood used on your display looks to be particle board if thats the case its the same as mine . So, they are close in two features . Thanks for the info. this helped to pin point some things for me . DM
 
David Martin said:
Ok, thanks ITE . Thru our discussions Joe H. has confirmed to me, that is the key used thru the 80's . It has the correct number on it . Although I'm sure your display came before mine . Yours is of the first locking type but of the older style as others have written theirs has no lock just the hasp . Mine does not lay down like that but stands up right . I would suspect yours is 1980 and mine 81 or 82 after the switch was made to a different style display . The wood used on your display looks to be particle board if thats the case its the same as mine . So, they are close in two features . Thanks for the info. this helped to pin point some things for me . DM
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David, I'm glad I could help you... ITE ...:)
 
Hey. My grandmother started buying these knives in 1978. She completed her purchase about 1981. She got 9 knives and said it was a complete set. The last one took some time to get and had been sharpened, she was bumbed, but it was the only one she could find. the numbers were 116, 118, 105, 103, 121, 102, 119, 120, 124. They look very simular to the ones in the case you have. I've been offered a couple thousand dollors for them but want to keep them in the family. Hope I could help.
 
Welcome, Dave. Great, thats a nice display you've acquired. Could you post a photo of it with the knives? If your Grandmother purchased these models new with boxes, paperwork and sheaths plus the case is in excellant shape. Then the offer was on target. My display and Craig's are close, 81-83. ITE's is earlier than mine and Tele's is earliest style/ type. To the original post, the buttons/ model # are very hard to come by. Also, you said yours has a button for the 107 Scout. That model came out in 1976 and the case could have been made a little before that as many different buttons were used in setting up the display knives. Thanks guys for the photos. DM
 
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I did some checking on the prices from your display and they are all over the place. The last Buck catalog that shows that counter top display was from 1980. Some of the prices in your display are from after that time frame and some, such as the 118, are from way before. The price for a 118 went from $14 to $16 in about 1973.
The 119 at $33 reflects the msrp from 1981.
There is a lot of unknowns about early displays and zero info on them here at the Buck plant. I do know that the earliest ones from the early 60's had a heavy carbboard plackard, about 17"x7" that stuck up off the back of the display. It showed the hammer/knife/bolt logo. Dealers complained that this plackard took up too much room so they started using the more familiar chrome plaque instead. This plaque can even be found on the more modern tan colored displays that were used after 1980.
The type of display that the OP showed, with the dove tailed corners and pull out tray and glass top, were the type used from the early 60's to about 1980.
I've never seen one of this type with a key hole but most (all?) had the padlock hasp on the back.
 
I think the larger and newer ones were more likely to have an integral key and lock.

Not so likely on older and smaller ones.

I wonder if it was an option at extra cost?

Great thread!
 
Thanks, Joe for this info.. Sounds like its time for someone to research and write an article on Buck displays. DM
 
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