Collectors displaying at shows

Joss

Joss

Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
7,353
All,

I am curious about the concept of customers displaying their collection at shows. As a (sometimes) show-goer, I certainly like watching other people's collections, but I'm puzzled by the economics of it.

Presumably, bringing one's collection to a show has high costs - risk of damage or theft (and that is both a $ and an emotional risk), cost of shipping (or flying) the knives, purchase & transportation of display cases, table cost, etc. The rewards seem to be very small in comparison: satisfaction / pride / bragging rights, networking, promoting one's favorite makers.

Do I have those right? Or am I missing something? Do promoters give preferential pricing to collectors? Do you think it's a growing or diminishing trend?

Thanks,

JD
 
I displayed my Herron and Ruana Collection for many years at Blade as well as a couple other smaller shows. Blade used to donate table space for collections.I believe they only are able to set aside so many tables for collections and it is hard to get a table since there is a high demand. Sometimes I wish I had not let my two tables go. I don't know what it is now. Bruce Voyles was always good about promoting collections at shows. I think you have to be a guild member and only display knives by guild members in good standing to display at The Guild Show. I think there is a table fee. It is a huge job especially if you are flying, but Joe Drouin pulled it off many times a year at various shows. His collection was the best. It depends on how passionate you are about promoting knives. I may not have ever displayed my collection or maybe never started a collection had it not been for Joe.

BB
 
I don't think you're missing anything. I'm grateful to those who do it, but can't really see doing it myself.

Roger
 
Joss, I don't think economics or bragging rights has anything to do with it, but more that some collectors are dedicated to spending their time and money in promoting and moving the custom knife community forward.

As I have shared here before, I wondered into my first Blade Show as a result of having some time to kill before going to the airport while on business in Atlanta. One of the things that got me "hooked" on custom knives was talking to Larry Bailey and examing the beautiful (and expensive) walnut display cases highlighting his outstanding ABS hunter collection. I would like to think that Larry, Bobby and others like them have brought many collectors into our community by displaying these collections.

We could even take this a little farther. I assume Joss you were gracious enough in joining the CKCA as a founding member because you as others feel the custom knife industry will greatly benefit from the CKCA's efforts over the years. Some collectors contribute to magazine articles, do interviews, do seminars, answer many e-mails every day, all of which takes time from their busy schedules.
Just as hauling collections to shows, some do these things because they love custom knives and want it to be ALL it can be.

To sum it up; some collectors are interested in making the custom knife industry a more enjoyable and rewarding community and other collectors are interested in what's personally in it for them.
 
I really appreciate those collectors that do bring their collections to the shows. I love seeing the knives of some of the older makers, as well as some of the fantastic later knives that could easily disappear into the darkness and not resurface for years. I hope that collectors keep on bringing them. I would think that the exposure to hundreds of people that share the same interest could have some advantages if for nothing more than the odd person that might be cleaning fish with an Ek combat knife that might be willing to swap for a Rapala filet knife. It happens.
 
Hi Joss,

I was setting up at shows for several years...some of the shows were the same shows that Bobby set up at.

It is a labor of love...emphasis on labor! :D

Some shows do allow tables for display, most make you pay for them.

I won awards at 40 different shows over the many years. Most would be amazed at how detailed the judging rules can be. As Bobby can attest there was a lot of work that went into (maybe even more so) the information and/or provenance displayed with the knives. The knives were only part of the display!

Like Harry and others, I enjoy seeing the older knives. Loved to look at Joe Druion's display the Guild Show.

The displays are a great asset to custom knife community.
 
Les is right. That was back when Blade was in Knoxville and when they made the move to Atlanta. I have a lot of awards in the closet and attic. It is a lot of work, but if you are in driving range, it can be fun. I used to get a lot of satisfaction educating new collectors and being educated by people who knew something special about my knives that I did not know. If you specialize in a particular maker or genre of knives, you get to be an expert in that field and you are offered a lot of great knives before the dealers. I'm sure Les took advantage of that little perk ;)

BB
 
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From the first day that I started the Blade Show until the day someone else took over things, tables for collectors displaying their collections were free. We later started charging a deposit that we refunded at the show close as collectors were notorious for breaking down early and starting the outward flood on Sunday.

In the days of Gun and Knife Shows I always felt the dividing line between a bona fide knife show versus someone out for the bucks was whether they gave trophies for collections, and comped the tables for the displays.

(For the record display tables are free at the Knives Illustrated Spirit of Steel Show the 25-27th of this month--and if you have a collection you'd like to display there I'll find space for you).

In the early days we had as many as 50 collections on display, some of them taking up to eight tables each. But think of what this brought to a show:

1. A displaying collector has already proved he is a multiple buyer. Obviously. And he's in the show room with time to browse the tables (and add to his collection). For those who worry about things like seminars that take people out of the room--this brings certified buyers into the room--and ties them there for three days.

2. His collection is there, so if it is so large that he only buys knives he doesn't have, he can borrow it from the dealer, carry it over to his display, and check to be sure he doesn't have it already. (Granted this is most common among pocketknife collectors.)

3. If you want someone to do PR work on behalf of the knife industry there is no better person than a collector standing in front of his collection explaining it to a new show attendee. That enthusiasm in infectious.

To me the worst collection in the world is one that is bought, crammed into a safe deposit box and never seen again. No one else can enjoy it, get fired up about knives, and the collector gets no recognition of ownership either.

Having displayed at shows myself, I can also say that there is nothing as exciting in the knife game as listening to the winners announced and waiting (and hoping) for your spot in the trophy order to be announced.

I encourage anyone with a knife collection to bring it out to shows, you will discover the joys of collecting extends far beyond simply your ownership of them.

Bruce Voyles
 
Well said, Bruce...and since you have put your money where your mouth is countless times on this subject I take what you have to say as a very serious and accurate assessment. I'll see you in Grapevine.

Paul
 
Joss said:
All,

I am curious about the concept of customers displaying their collection at shows. As a (sometimes) show-goer, I certainly like watching other people's collections, but I'm puzzled by the economics of it.

Presumably, bringing one's collection to a show has high costs - risk of damage or theft (and that is both a $ and an emotional risk), cost of shipping (or flying) the knives, purchase & transportation of display cases, table cost, etc. The rewards seem to be very small in comparison: satisfaction / pride / bragging rights, networking, promoting one's favorite makers.

Do I have those right? Or am I missing something? Do promoters give preferential pricing to collectors? Do you think it's a growing or diminishing trend?

Thanks,

JD
Click to expand...

Hi Joss,


I had an exhibit at the Blade show in Atlanta a few years back < '04? > of Ed Fowler knives. The only extra expense was buying a display case and a sheepskin that I used as a table cloth (it served me well and is still in service... ). I invited David, who is a member of these forums as well, to join me and he really put my display to shame. I'm not sure how much he spent, I think it was more elbow grease than anything else, but as I recall he used the windshield of a model T Ford as the window in his homemade case. Ed also donated his chaps to the cause and a couple of 52100 ball bearings and laminated copies of the ad he was running in Blade at the time.

I paid Ed a visit at his ranch and brought my collection of his knives with me. They were some of the best pieces he had made around that time, some of which I picked up from David, so it seemed like it would make a nice display. David's collection was comprised more of Ed's all time great pieces so it seemed like a natural match to show them all off at the same time.

To be honest, I enjoyed sharing my knives with the folks who came to the show but it did restrict me a bit in walking around to see what was available. Early on though I just locked my case and walked around the show to look at what everyone had on their tables. Most people were kind and I had no trouble with security at all even though I left my display unattended.

It's really something I did more for Ed's benefit and his fans, but it was an experience to remember. If you have a worthwhile collection <Foggs anyone ? :D > it's worth the effort, IMO. Sure it's a risk or expense to some degree but can also be fulfilling.
 
Thanks for the information Bruce. I have often though about displaying my collection at shows.
IMO, it's also good to share your collection on-line as Jose mentioned.

I have received over 10,000 hits on my photosites in about a year and a haft and it has put me in touch with some good overseas buyers/sellers.
 
Hi Jose,
Being a part of that display was a lot of fun I thought too. For me, It would have never happened without your invitation, so I thank you again, and appreciate your asking. And, I can't let the opportunity to go without saying i feel the same, in regards to your knives. Seeing them was an exceptional treat for me.

I came across an old photo- my wife had taken just before (pre Blade Show) , i was under a tarp suspended over two clothes lines, trying to build that thing (display case) the week before the show, in the rain. ...a Great memory!

-Again sometime, i hope!

Good thread!
David
 
When the Canadian Knife Collectors Club was formed in 1977 the emphasis was on the Collector. Of course without makers, additional knives would not be available but the collector was always offered a table and the ability to sell knives at the show without cost.

Many collectors showed their collections over the 20 years of the existence of the CKCC. Now, Collectors may show but not sell at the Canadian Knifemakers Guild show but perhaps that will change as have other things as the knife and knife show industry changes.

I have shown at CKG and will in the future. Two years ago, over the 3 day event, I created a collection of Canadian made knives, The Forged Blade and also the Art Knife.

It is just not practical to bring knives into the US and try to return them easily from a show and besides, I am usually too busy doing photos which can be seen in the Forums > reviews of the CKCA www.customknifecollectorsassociation.com

I don't have to do that at CKG as they have Robert Laufer as official show photographer and we all get to enjoy his reviews of the CKG shows.

Not only that but my collection can be seen online and generally newly acquired knives are posted in forums at some time during the year for others to enjoy.

It is very important for collectors to display as that encourages new collectors to see the joy of collecting and the possibilities of creating a collection of fine hand crafted knives that represent those things each collector finds pleasurable about knives.
 
Murray White said:
I don't have to do that at CKG as they have Robert Laufer as official show photographer and we all get to enjoy his reviews of the CKG shows.
Click to expand...

Is that pronounced LOAF-er or L-OW-fer?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
TennKnifeman said:
To me the worst collection in the world is one that is bought, crammed into a safe deposit box and never seen again. No one else can enjoy it, get fired up about knives, and the collector gets no recognition of ownership either.

Bruce Voyles
Click to expand...

That Bruce, was the main reason for my creating my books on modern custom knives:
To display as many of these safely hidden away treasures for everyone to enjoy......

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)
 
I am the knife world's number one hypocrite. :o

I love to see other, more experienced collectors show off their collections of custom cutlery (even fixed blades ;) ) and learn from their work and dedication and enthusiasm. I have a huge amount of respect for the people who do that - for any reason, selfish or otherwise.

I will never show off my own collection in public (maybe the occasional photo posted of something that I think is unusual and might be of interest - eg. the boot knife with scales from the sunken Spanish galleon).

Why?

A few years ago, I tried to do a favor for a maker by leaving a magnificent one-of custom bowie on his table to highlight his capabilities. Someone at the table picked up a folder, had trouble closing it (it was a liner lock - who knew?) and dropped the knife right on top of the guard on the bowie - which had been extensively engraved by one of the top artists in the field. The financial loss meant nothing - the artistic loss was devastating.

Now, as Murray White will attest ;), I don't even like to talk about my collections. ;););)
 
STeven -- the second rendition would be correct as on au =ow=ouch

yeah, Holger has me on "ignore" lol

because of the problems that Holger has experienced, I have been putting my collection on display under the glass of a display case but frankly I prefer not to display that way. Unfortunately, I have had damage done to other knives by folks dropping them when I have had get togethers at my home which kind of spoils the whole event.
 
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