Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
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In another post I had concerns about the Puma White Hunter knife shown in the photo. Not claiming I'm right, but it brought back memories of many other suspicious large blades.
Original thread: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/gold-etching-and-engraving-on-blade-how-to.1970966/
To keep that thread from derailing I have a question for those who go to lots of shows. I don't do a lot of shows or travel around the country, so I may be naive.
Do you see questionable (or clearly fake) knives supposedly by well-known makers on the tables.
I have people bring me items to give my opinion on, authenticate, or value at shows and home often. A surprising number appear to be fakes. Many were bought at knife shows. Most folks take my answer as my best opinion and consider it an expert's answer. Others don't always agree, and I am fine with that. My only comment is, "You asked me my opinion and I gave it to you honestly."
Question #2:
I look at eBay and see obvious fakes all the time. There is a Ron Frazier "Presentation" dagger on there now for $1025.00. It does not look right at all, and the handle is buffalo horn with twisted nickel silver wire. Looks like it was made last week. I can't believe anyone would buy one like that sight unseen and with no real provenance. Are buyers that gullible?
Somewhat related to the question above:
I lost a good customer and friend a while back over telling him his priceless 1980's Ron Frazier bowie with railroad trains and buffalo hunting scenes "Hand Engraved by Ron Frazier" was a cheap Chinese fake. The blade was mirror polished and stamped on one side "stainless steel" (Ron did not stamp his blades with steel type) and the artwork was clearly lasered. The laser cuts were filled with fresh black varnish. The handle and fit up was really poor with large gaps. The stag handle was almost surely some sort of composite. He paid $3,000 at a show in the mid-west and was asking $10,000. I showed him all the things wrong, including the maker's mark, which was not one of Ron Frazier's marks (I have most of Ron's stencils). The kicker was when he told me the seller at the show had a Bill Moran Vietnam era ST-24 and a Scagel Bowie knife in mint condition. He said they had perfect mirror polished blades, and were only priced a little more than the Frazier. I am certain neither of those makers ever did mirror polishes on their knives. I asked him how likely was it that an unknown seller would have three priceless mirror polished 40 to 60 year old knives for sale at some local show and would sell a $30,000 knife for 10 cents on the dollar??? I politely as possible told him he was a fool if he really thought those knives were real. He said he disagreed, and I said, "OK", and changed the subject to which single malt Scotch he wanted from the bar. That was that I thought. But, apparently, he was so upset with me he never bought another knife from me.
He passed away a year later and his family (I've been their jeweler for over a decade) brought me about 100 of his best knives to see if I could sell them. I offered $25,000 for the batch (way more than fair). They said the bowie alone was tagged at $10,000. I told them what I told him about the Frazier Bowie knife. They didn't want to believe me and said they thought they could get $100,000 for the collection. Several other knife folks had already told them the same thing about the Bowie. I wished them well, and said my offer would stand if they couldn't find a buyer.
They asked if I wanted to buy back some of the knives I had made for him. I told them I would pay 50% to 75% of my selling price on the ones I was interested in, but would pay 300% my original price for the wakizashi I had sold him. It was probably the nicest sword I ever made. The koshirae was all in mokume and the menuki were silver and gold dragons. Sadly, that was the only piece of his collection the family would not sell. His brother wanted to keep it. They said the others I had made him were tagged at three to five times what he paid me.
They sent the bulk of his collection to an auction company (Bruce Voyles?). I heard they ended up getting less than 25% of what he paid for most of his knife collection. Some never sold, and some, like the Frazier bowie, were returned to the family and not accepted for auction.
Original thread: https://www.bladeforums.com/threads/gold-etching-and-engraving-on-blade-how-to.1970966/
To keep that thread from derailing I have a question for those who go to lots of shows. I don't do a lot of shows or travel around the country, so I may be naive.
Do you see questionable (or clearly fake) knives supposedly by well-known makers on the tables.
I have people bring me items to give my opinion on, authenticate, or value at shows and home often. A surprising number appear to be fakes. Many were bought at knife shows. Most folks take my answer as my best opinion and consider it an expert's answer. Others don't always agree, and I am fine with that. My only comment is, "You asked me my opinion and I gave it to you honestly."
Question #2:
I look at eBay and see obvious fakes all the time. There is a Ron Frazier "Presentation" dagger on there now for $1025.00. It does not look right at all, and the handle is buffalo horn with twisted nickel silver wire. Looks like it was made last week. I can't believe anyone would buy one like that sight unseen and with no real provenance. Are buyers that gullible?
Somewhat related to the question above:
I lost a good customer and friend a while back over telling him his priceless 1980's Ron Frazier bowie with railroad trains and buffalo hunting scenes "Hand Engraved by Ron Frazier" was a cheap Chinese fake. The blade was mirror polished and stamped on one side "stainless steel" (Ron did not stamp his blades with steel type) and the artwork was clearly lasered. The laser cuts were filled with fresh black varnish. The handle and fit up was really poor with large gaps. The stag handle was almost surely some sort of composite. He paid $3,000 at a show in the mid-west and was asking $10,000. I showed him all the things wrong, including the maker's mark, which was not one of Ron Frazier's marks (I have most of Ron's stencils). The kicker was when he told me the seller at the show had a Bill Moran Vietnam era ST-24 and a Scagel Bowie knife in mint condition. He said they had perfect mirror polished blades, and were only priced a little more than the Frazier. I am certain neither of those makers ever did mirror polishes on their knives. I asked him how likely was it that an unknown seller would have three priceless mirror polished 40 to 60 year old knives for sale at some local show and would sell a $30,000 knife for 10 cents on the dollar??? I politely as possible told him he was a fool if he really thought those knives were real. He said he disagreed, and I said, "OK", and changed the subject to which single malt Scotch he wanted from the bar. That was that I thought. But, apparently, he was so upset with me he never bought another knife from me.
He passed away a year later and his family (I've been their jeweler for over a decade) brought me about 100 of his best knives to see if I could sell them. I offered $25,000 for the batch (way more than fair). They said the bowie alone was tagged at $10,000. I told them what I told him about the Frazier Bowie knife. They didn't want to believe me and said they thought they could get $100,000 for the collection. Several other knife folks had already told them the same thing about the Bowie. I wished them well, and said my offer would stand if they couldn't find a buyer.
They asked if I wanted to buy back some of the knives I had made for him. I told them I would pay 50% to 75% of my selling price on the ones I was interested in, but would pay 300% my original price for the wakizashi I had sold him. It was probably the nicest sword I ever made. The koshirae was all in mokume and the menuki were silver and gold dragons. Sadly, that was the only piece of his collection the family would not sell. His brother wanted to keep it. They said the others I had made him were tagged at three to five times what he paid me.
They sent the bulk of his collection to an auction company (Bruce Voyles?). I heard they ended up getting less than 25% of what he paid for most of his knife collection. Some never sold, and some, like the Frazier bowie, were returned to the family and not accepted for auction.
