Nice n thanks for your kind reply.
There are "holes" in collections.
Some enjoy the original in near mint fighting knife. Look at and handle and keep them from rust.
Oil them wipe with soft cloth......
Then there is a hole to be filled.
Get one that is wrapped up in paper cocmoline, unused unissued.
It isn't able to be touched and seen.
So, about a cleaned knife vs a mint uncleand knife....
Are there going to be tells?
Can one resell a knife bought "as never cleaned, all original" yet in reality it is cleaned say professionally?
I'd guess that serious collectors must be both on the hunt and aware of these knives.
When an antique knife/weapon/whatever is cleaned or restored or worked on in any way by a professional, there is paperwork to accompany the item which indicates who did the work, and exactly what work was performed. The entire matter is documented and can be confirmed by contacting the person who did the work (they keep meticulous records).
I don't recall all the different "levels" and how they are defined in the antiques world, or the exact terminology, but there are several different levels of value depending on condition. For example, there is "factory original", which is the exact condition the item was in when it left the factory, including the shipping container (box, crate), packing material, paperwork, etc.
And then there's "as issued", which is the condition the item was in when it was issued to a soldier.
And then there are various levels of "cleaned" and "used".
Serious collectors, the ones who are willing to pay the most money, know all the different levels and how they will affect the items value. The closer the item is to "factory original" the more valuable the item is and the more they are willing to pay. The exception to that is if it can be proven to a reasonable degree that the item was present at a historical event/battle, or that it was carried/used by a person of historical significance, and in some cases someone who was not regarded as significant.
As far as your knife, I would suggest getting it appraised and documented by a professional. That way if you advertise it for sale somewhere you can provide a description that will be regarded as accurate by serious collectors. Serious collectors won't just take your word for it when it comes to your description of it's condition. And if the way you describe the item isn't accurate to the world of serious antique weapons collectors, they might think that you are trying to pull one over on them and steer clear of you (like if you describe it as "mint", and the condition is not what "mint" actually means).
There are a lot of fakes and crooks in the world of antique weapons, it's no different than the world of sports memorabilia, and serious collectors tend to be a very suspicious bunch. The best way to satisfy their suspicion is to obtain a documented appraisal from a professional appraiser with a solid reputation.
