Check out this old baby

Can anybody verify the age of this "Deluxe" Khukuri set?

The patina on the sheath show aging and the tools are definitely "old school": especially the scissors.
 
Originally posted by Bill Martino
What's the going price?
Click to expand...

So far, $199.

Seems reasonable, but it's already past the seller's reserve price, so who knows what it's real value is.

Dan
 
I bid on it and the top bidder jumped my bid by $100. I think that he will pay whatever it takes. Kind of passing by the price I would offer, but maybe after a few Heinekens.......
 
Originally posted by Bill Marsh
I bid on it and the top bidder jumped my bid by $100. I think that he will pay whatever it takes. Kind of passing by the price I would offer, but maybe after a few Heinekens.......
Click to expand...

If it's truly an authentic 19th Century piece, then it has collector's value. Plus it is in good condition though it was clearly used. Although that might "tarnish" (groan...) its value a little, it more than makes up for it being authentic and not some tourist rip-off.

Usually, before buying a piece like this, I try to get its history. It's best to know what you're getting before you buy... although that's not always possible.

Bill, when you put in your bid, was it over or under the reserve price?

Dan
 
That looks like a fine old rig. I am thinking that it might go for close to $300.00.

--Mike L.
 
It's a nice rig, but I would guess early 20th century. It looks like a very nicely done WWII Khukuri with an interesting set of accessories.

n2s
 
Dan,

I bid it to a little over a hundred and he jumped it to $199.

The scissors in the kit make it later than 19c also the horn grip is a replacement.

Otherwise it is kinda nice
 
I can't afford to bid on this one, but what do you think a fair market price would be? You can wait for an answer after the dead line is over. I just want to learn. I'm new at this stuff [great khukuris that is]. I'd like to know if I run into some oldies. Plenty of pawn shops around town. I paid $475.00 for my first katana made before or during the war, I learned it was worth $350.00 tops. I wish I could have asked someone! All the best

Sam
 
Glad I'm not alone in the mistakes category. I've learned to avoid local auctions because of the immediacy involved. Gotta get it now!:eek:
 
The scissors in the kit make it later than 19c also the horn grip is a replacement.
Click to expand...

Any scissors or the scissors pictured?
Don't know one iota about old scissors, but those did make me wonder about the 19th C claim, at least for the scissors.

How can you tell the grip's been replaced?
 
Here's the problem:

You can't really put a price on an antique without knowing its history.

I've sent an email to the seller, and hopefully I'll get an answer back soon.

Think about it this way - 2 pianos, exactly the same brand, size, age, design, etc. One has been stored in a Frenchman's Hotel and is in perfect condition. The other, showing more wear and tear, was used, and has gone from owner to owner, but was played upon by Handel.

Both of the 2 pianos have tremendous value. However, the 2nd has more historic value - its importance is in documenting a piece of now-disappearing history.

What if this knife represents a similar piece of history? How old is it? How common was it during its production? Does it represent any kind of status, given its size and complexity? Or is it simply a commoner's set of tools? How many more of these are out there now?

Let's say that you did bid on it, would you use it?

You'd probably reply "Well, that depends...Is it important?"


I guess I'm ranting here because I've seen so many auctions go down (especially on eBay) where the history of the piece was not disclosed. Usually, that means that the seller does not know and the possible historic value has been lost. They then "guess" the date based on speculation from friends & collegues and put it up for sale either touting it as a precious antique, or selling it as "neat old stuff".

A friend of mine went to an auction at Christies' in New York. The auctioneer held up a box of old coins and because my friend had seen the coins (and is a medieval arts buff) beforehand, he knew their value. Fortunately he got them for a good discount. But what if someone there had just decided to bid "for the heck of it" and won the "box of old coins"? They would have no appreciation, and because of their ignorance, they would just assume that the coins had some "intrinsic value". Perhaps they might even try to sell them on eBay. :D


I have been working with antiques for years doing everything from speculation to repair to collecting. There is nothing like the rush of getting an important piece at a good price. But, for me, the real sweetness of the deal is to own a piece of history - something that represents the progess we've made as humans on this big rock called Earth. Otherwise, it's just "neat old stuff".


Bill Marsh,

Sharp eyes on the scissors and the grip. The difference would be more noticeable up close, but 19C scissors were not that straight handled nor bladed. They would have been handmade and heavy. Plus the pins weren't so great back then at holding the scissors together.


Ferguson,

Thanks for bringing this over to the forums to talk about. Also, congratulations on your prize!!!


Sams,

I feel your pain. I was burned once too, and I've been on a mission to prevent that ever happening again.



Dan
 
I was burned once too, and I've been on a mission to prevent that ever happening again.
Click to expand...

Getting burned is just the cost of a good education. Everyone takes a wrong shot every once in a while. Ebay is a fair market, but you have to do your homework. Look at the pictures and take what the seller tells you for what it is. Many sellers know very little about the item, and there are plenty that are out to commit outright fraud.

Make a bet; you will win some, lose some, and most of the time you will break even.

n2s
 
I think I might get an agreement from the experts when I say provenance is everything.

Remember the Indian who told me he could age a khukuri 100 years in a day!

I'm scared to death of things like this.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top