Emersonomics

[jackstraw]

Okay suspects...time to predict. What will happen to the custom market now that Ernie has announced that he will not be coming to the Blade show and that he hasn't had time to make any new customs. Is the demand out there that will push the increasingly rare customs to new highs or has the already high demand reached a plateau. Your opinions. Time will tell. My bet...older customs that obviously aren't being made in any event (pre-tacs, half moons, pre-date Specwars, fixed blades and limited models) will continue to appreciate according to the desire of those of us who must have them right this minute. Newer models, 2000s and 2001s will also appreciate as they are all of a sudden rare birds. Only question in my mind is how much. Opinions?

------------------
Once in a while you get shown the light
In the strangest of places if you look at it right.

 

[Arkham_Drifter]

I don't think that these knives will be leveling off any time soon. There just aren't that many around even with the newest generation of customs this past year.
I think that as long there was a belief that Ernie was going to be selling the new customs at shows then the price for those knives would have been on a slower appreciation curve than the older knives. Now that he may not be returning to customs any time in the near future then these newer customs just got a bit more valuable.
As for the Pre Tacs, Halfmoons and old SPECWRs? These are knives from a time gone by. That part of Emerson history is a closed book now.

 

[Tamishigiri]

Ark,
Your right on point here.
Succinctly put...


------------------
"Though a man should conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle,
He who conquers himself is the greatest warrior."

"This is the law:
There is no possible victory in defense, The Sword is more important than the shield, And skill is more important than either, The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental."

 

[rfrost]

I'd say that demand will keep going up, therefore, aftermarket prices will also rise. How high? I could see a MINT half-moon CQC-6 bringing $3000 in the near future. I believe BM Schutlz paid close to $2500 for his about 6 months ago...

As has been said before, the basics of supply and demand are hard at work here. The supply is remaining constant while the demand is increasing. And with the increasing popularity of EKI's products, Ernie will only get busier and busier, and fewer and fewer customs will be released to the market every year.

Unfortunatly, as the prices are pushed upwards, more and more of those demanding the product are priced out of the market.

Like me.

I'd love to own a custom Emerson, but to pay over $1000 for a knife just isn't in the cards for me.

--Robert

------------------

Usual Suspect

RFrost5746@excite.com -- My Collection

 

[jbravo]

Interestingly, Jackstraw and Ark seem to have hit the nail on the head. Pre-EKI knives have continued to appreciate and sell briskly, despite occupying the rarified air of stratospheric prices. The customs with dates on them seem to have stopped in their tracks, and judging from recent non-sales, may have slipped a bit in price. The fact that nearly no one has mentioned getting any custom deliveries lately has not seemed to play a part in it either - whether they're being made now or not, the market for recent vintage knives has hit a wall. Time will tell if that is a temporary hiccup or a serious shift in tastes. The curious sidebar to it is the parallel leap in demand (and prices!) for two other makers favored by the Suspects: Steve Ryan and Ken Onion. It seems you can't get a Ryan or a Boa for love or money while several custom Emersons currently languish here unsold. What do you guys think? Is it a seachange, or just a lull before the next storm?