How much would you pay for a knife with no maker's mark?

[hardheart]

An unmarked handmade knife is worth nothing except it's utility value.

What would you say the utility value of a knife is (do you feel it compares well to your low auction results, or are people getting very good deals on useful tools), and how does it compare to the pricing of production knives? And, do the materials affect that at all? Say, if the knife was unmarked, but it had a genuine ivory handle. Does that bump up the value of the knife, or does it destroy the value of the ivory?

 

[Lorien]

Don't even know that you made the comment with me in mind.
But as the shoe fits . I just wanted to communicate that there is a method to my madness.

Kevin, for the record, I was making a sweeping generalization there I wasn't thinking specifically of any one person's method. It seems to me that, especially when there are large dollars involved, most collectors might follow that same practise as you by selling in order to fund new acquisitions. Also, there's no judgement going on here, I think that recirculating knives is good for everybody. Actually, it's better than the alternative 'black hole' collecting in that the world is exposed to these sharp things and not tucked away out of sight for generations.

My "" was for anyone who might have taken offence to my comment.

 

[TennKnifeman]

What would you say the utility value of a knife is (do you feel it compares well to your low auction results, or are people getting very good deals on useful tools), and how does it compare to the pricing of production knives? And, do the materials affect that at all? Say, if the knife was unmarked, but it had a genuine ivory handle. Does that bump up the value of the knife, or does it destroy the value of the ivory?

The utility value is what someone will pay for the knife with the intention of using it, whether it be factory or handmade. A low grade handmade unmarked will resell usually less than a name factory knife of basically the same pattern.

Of course materials affect that value. If stag scales are $30.00 a pair and the knife is stag handled that is certainly worth more than a similar knife with wood handles. More than once I've heard a knife sold with, "The ivory is worth that much."

However, if the name is unimportant to a collector, then by all means the collector should forget about trying to buy knives by well known makers and instead look for knives made by obscure makers using the same materials.

Just remember that when it comes time to resell your knives you will have to sell them to collectors who may not collect obscure maker knives.

Knives are valued in the aftermarket primarily on demand. Nothing more, nothing less. Low demand, low prices.

How many "unmarked" knife collectors can you name?

Better yet, next time you order a knife from a maker, ask those makers to leave their names off their knives! No need to mess up a knife by putting a maker's name on it and spoiling the flow and lines.

 

[A. G. Russell]

I was looking for Tom Maringer post and read this one through and it reminded me a stpry that Bob Loveless told of a customer at a show who looked at his $750 knives and went on to the rest of the show and came back and asked Bob why the other makers were offering knives much like his for only $300. Bob explained to him that his knives were also worth $300 but that the mark was worth anotherr $450.

 

[Lorien]

9 year old thread can continue to rest.