Imperial Schrade Antique Knife Collection

H

hancocklaw

Joined
Oct 13, 2004
Messages
2
If this thread had been started by one of the moderators of the Schrade Forum it would stand. As it is, it is spam. The original post made here was copied to the Moderators Forum. This post has been edited.

Gus
 
I assume HancockLaw is the outfit doing the auction. If so, then on his first post here he violated BFC's rules about posting things for sale. If he wants to advertise, he should be a 'gold member' and pay.

I'm gonna report this thread.

Wish that all of us could have a chance to bid on the individual items. But it looks like we'll be buying the stuff, if we want it, from one of the major players in the knife biz. No doubt we'll get a certificate of authenticity.

Phil
 
I just tuned in could someone tell me what happened and what the present postings mean. I said all along the auction would not happen so if this is what this is all about I am not surprised. Please let me know what is going on if as I surmised the whole deal was a fugazy ( New York Italian prison slang for a phoney deal ) please let me know so I can rehide my money in a coffee can in the back yard and sleep late that day. If some rule is violated contact me direct at lt632ret@frontiernet.net Thomas industrys was doing the auction originally. LT
 
A lawyer, who may have been handling the auction, :confused: posted auction/ for sale information for the whole sheebang as one big thing.......somewhere near $179, 280 for an opening bid. A NO, NO of course, for a non supporting poster. Also known as SPAM, or what those guys from Tenn. may have for breakfast before the Swordswallower.......errr, I mean Auctioneer kicks things off.

PS.....
I can cover the $280.......just need a little help with the $179,000 to open the deal. :rolleyes:

This post is somewhat of a jest......not intended to violate Bladeforums rules in any way. I've checked with the Schrade Moderator.........sort of, I guess.

Bill
 
I wonder if it is a jest. I still do not fully understand . But what the heck confusion is my normal running speed. Thanks for the info. Give me a call I will pick up the other 179,000. But it sure will cut down on my poker. Got to dig up some more coffee cans. Now where did I bury them? LT
 
You SIR, are my poker playing idol......that's a helluva call, in the small blind.
I'm all in at $280.

Turn them over, please,

Bill

PS......
If we win, will you take PayPal? Just kidding, of course. :D
 
Ill see your 280 and raise 20 more.
Im also all in at 300.
Larry
 
Holding the usual, two pair, Bullshite and splinters. Shake em up, spit them out and please tell the lady in the skimpy clothes that Ill pound another crown, with a Heine ( refers to a imported beer ) in back to chase away the bad memorys. LT
 
I hope I didn't P.O. any of you guys off by reporting the post that started this thread. I did it for these reasons: I didn't want Spark to think we are incapable of policing ourselves here, and it (the post) was a blantant violation of the rules. The lawyer purposely sought this forum out to hawk his auction, not to contribute in any meaningful way. One post and he was out of here. I have a bit more time and effort, as all of you do, involved in this little community. A tight knit, but very friendly community, that welcomes anyone with questions, answers.

I am a little bit ambivilent about the disposition of the Schrade collection. While I'd enjoy bidding on even one piece of it, I sorta yearn for it to be kept in one collection, as a whole, where someday I could walk into a building and enjoy seeing it. Take the Case factory collection for examply; Jim Parker sold it at one point to raise funds. Luckily, it was sold to (I think) Smokey Mountain Knife Works, who kept it (mostly) intact and eventually sold it back to Case, once Zippo had Case back on solid finacial footing.

Something does bother me about seeing the collection bought by a high roller, peiced out and sold with the inevitable 'certificate of authenticity'. Bernard Levine once wrote something very colorful about those pieces of paper, involving a bathroom. Perhaps I make some mistake in thinking that I was such a dedicated, supportive Schrade customer, I sorta have a right to an opinion about the sale... That may not be so.

Best to all,
Phil
 
Phil,
Your post is just the kind of post I come here for. Interesting and thought provoking, and with obvious passion about knives, and particularly Schrade.
Of course you have every right to express you feelings.....that's one of the cool things about this particular forum. Yes, we do sort of police ourselves here,( lots of light sentences), but VERY knowledgeable, civil and friendly.
I doubt if anyone thinks you were out of line reporting the post, just read what Gus had to say about it. Thank you for doing just that, and keeping us on our toes.

Bill

PS,

Go take some scalps, will you! Maybe they will come with a certificate of authenticity. :D
(Content from another thread, you may have had to have been there).
 
I am a bit more than ambivilent ( I think we both mispelled it ) about the Schrade auction I guess my naturally non cynical non sarcastic attitude must have hid my ambivlence, I mean my being pissed off. It stinks. the situation, the people auctioning it, the vultures moving in, the complete lack of anyone caring. you name it it stinks. I have been trying for 2 years to get a museum started for these items even if it comes together this whole segment is gone. Scattered. Even with what I will walk in with in my pocket I havent got a shot at saving a fraction of it. You do not even want to know about some of the other pieces they have, original stones working ( metal frame sharpening and honing stones that were used 100 years ago.) original tools, you name it lost. Remember what i said about the deck being stacked well I feel like Gary Cooper in High Noon. There have been several people approached ( believe me ), about a concerned effort to save the collection and other artifacts. It is a bit tough when the people selling it have no idea of how they are going to run it, no ideas of applicable laws ( ie automatic knives ) and whose basic worry is that the 10% surcharge count is correct. We all have fantasys you seem to dream of Ellenville females which as least shows i am not the most screwed up of this bunch. My fantasy is to hit the lottery and buy the Schrade collection ( which I guess shows that I should as they say, get a life ). I would then put it under glass so that future generations could see that once there were proud americans and items like these were made in the USA. As the Schrade motto stated.

As far as the Case collection many parts of it are still floating around. I was offered a part of it a couple of months ago ( automatics ). The point being it will never be all together again. In the Schrade situation that certificate will cause a 50 dollar knife to cost you 300 so whatever you do if you get one do not sit in the smallest room in your house reading it in front of you to put it behind you when you are finished. As you suggest.

Ah jeeze Phil you had to get me started you know it dosen't take much for me to get up on the soap box besides it has all already been said anyway.

I still don't know what this guy did since I did not see the posting but it must have been a violation since they took him off. I guess I have broken a few of those rules in the past myself. BUT my excuse is stupitity ( which is not a legal excuse) and I try to only break the same rule once. I do know that you have always been honest and your feeling for this forum is always evident so you must have felt motivated. Just the fact that you care what others think of your actions shows you feel a responsibility for what actions you take. LT
 
The last I heard it was 25 dollars to get a number ( so to speak ) to be able to bid on line. However there is no guarantee that if you win a knife you will get it since the last word was that they are reserving the right to sell the entire collection after the auction if some buyer offers 10 percent over what the individual knives in the collection have gone for. If this is true aside from possibly being illegal it means that you pay 25 dollars, bid, win and still may not get the knife. In fact in effect what you did was pay 25 dollars and set the price for them.

Now the list you show is a very small amount of the knives I have a complete list which actually was an appraisal list done for Schrade. Then there was a second reduced list ( like the one you show ) only it was 30 pages long that seems now to have been futher reduced ( unless I just did not see all the pics ), So perhapes some knifes have been scarfed already, perhapes in order to preserve an illusion of a fair complete auction some other action has been taken. Perhapes they don't know themselves, perhapes that is why everything regarding this circus is a state secret. Who knows???

Now there is also talk of some kind of 10,000 dollars guarantee needed to bid for some items perhapes this is not for knives but rather equiptment. Who knows???

I urge you to call the auction company and ask them I know some people who not only have asked these questions over and over but were told they would be advised of the answers and would be kept informed. DUHH still waiting.

I have been told that it will be possible for everyone ( open to the public) to view these items on the 19th 20th 21, apparently this has been another well kept secret the only magazine I know of at this time that has or will post a story on the closing and auction is one I write for, in an article I wrote. None of the other knife periodicals I know of have even mentioned the auction. Does it seem like perhapes that may have been done on purpose.

I keep saying it but, nobody hears all is not KOSHER in Ellenville. LT
 
Q: What happens when 9 people are given two days to prep a 500,000 sq/ft factory for auction???

A: It doesn't get done in time.

duh. right?

There is no way in hell that 9 people could move all the blanks, W.I.P., paperwork, knives, hand tools, and everything else not up for auction to a safe locked up zone. Obviously.

If you think the auction is a fiasco from the outside, you should check out the mania on the inside of this place. It is from a hideous lack of planning and proper execution on both parties (schrade and thomas) that this is going awry. and let me tell you folks. It's ugly.

Here is what I can tell you that (I think) is true.
The visitation is open to the public.
There is a refundable $100. retainer fee to bid.
Damn near everything is tagged for auction.
As far as I know, the collection is supposed to go up as one piece (I could be mistaken though... noone seems to be sure on this.

If anyone here wants to visit I would recommend the second or third day to do so. We expect everyone from the towns of Ellenville, Wawarsing, Napanoch, etc. to drop in.

I will be working there throughout this entire thing wants to say hi, I work in packaging, just ask for Steve.
 
I agree and I do not blame anyone the only point ( and I am only talking about the collection of knives ) is that this collection is to important to do this way. I am not insulting anyone and would not be in your shoes for the world. I am only stating what you verify. I realize the immense physical problems involved and again you have my sympathy but would it be to much for the powers that be, to simply issue what procedure they in there wisdom and knowledge are going to use to dispose of these. That is all I am asking I am willing to play by the rules but there are none. Like I said they just do not care or know about what they are doing. I am not even sure until your posting and mine that it was common knowledge that the plant would be open for viewing. What I said stands no one knows what is going up, how it is going up, or what the rules are. And let me tell ya when the rules are subject to whim or individual interpretation it won't be fair. It is the golden rule them whats got the gold make the rules. However be assured that as long as possible I will be there trying to find out the real deal. Thankyou for the 100 dollar retainer fee info as well as any other info every piece helps. It would seem the plan now is to sell the collection as one piece but, without knowing for sure I would lay odds that this is being done by a consortium of the same players who have pooled there dollars and talked there way into making the bid to lock out any other players. If this is true after it is over they will be splitting it up between them like vultures I am sure each one has there list of what they get. Then watch the prices. Oh yea then also forget about them being preserved together. Like I said maybe I am wrong. Wanna bet? I guess it is legal and I guess there isn't much that can be done if that is the case but, dammit it would be nice to know ( for sure the rules ) in case the money could be raised to at least make it a fight. LT
 
Just to clarify........I think it is OK to say this.......

What was mentioned, in a format that smelled like canned meat product, was that the opening bid on the Knife Collection, as a whole, was going to be $179,280. But as our webguy says.....who knows? Too bad they didn't get someone from Schrade to post REAL details. :confused:

But, as LT is surmising, they probably have an ulterior motive that doesn't include "The Public". :rolleyes:

I can't afford to be a player....But I'd sure like to see the collection preserved and displayed, like LT would do.

Bill
 
It does kinda suck about the collection. There are some awesome knives in it. But LT got it right... The golden rule (never heard that before, nice one LT)

There is gonna be some sweet buys for Xmas this year!

Heavy duty sewing machine for my sister.

Bench grinder and all imaginable accessories for my dad.

My work computer for myself. (pentium 4 baby!)

So despite the ultimate fate of the collection, pieces of the great empire will live on forever in the homes and hearts of the employees and the fans. And at the end of the day, I suppose that is what really matters. To never be forgotten.
 
Just in from a source I trust. Smokey $182,000 the last word is that the bank is taking the offer. So is that good? well it could be worse. Suddenly they realized that certain laws and difficultys existed in auctioning and disposing of knives especially certain types like automatics. ( like I said the original idea of auctioning 2000 knives would take 3 days by itself and there plans on how to sell the automatics were illegal to begin with. this was brought out to them by several sources several times ) so it seems they are taking the easy way out ( perhapes the way they had planned on from the beginning). Who knows, Smokey might be the only ones who can keep it together. In any event it still seems to be a deep dark secret.

Apparently these people are under no legal obligation to inform any one of there decision but if you were planning to check into a hotel and stay a while just to bid on the knives it would be nice to know that they were already sold. Then again perhapes my info is incorrect. Perhapes they may change there decision.

I am not voicing an opinion on this information. Nor have I any say, on what procedure is used to dispose of these items. I am however voicing the opinion that if this is what is happening there should never have been the announcment that on the 28th of OCT these items were to be sold at auction.

If this is what has, or is happening, then no one has had a chance to bid at a free and equal open auction. Instead a private deal was done and the chances are that anouncing an auction in the first place was in reality a ploy to drive up the price on there private deal, if it was not there original plan it sure looks like it ended up that way.

Now once again just like when I posted the original thread about Schrades closing on JULY 30. I am asking any one that if this information is incorrect to please post any input you may have and please give the correct information. My only goal is to get this correct information ( of what is going on ) and dissiminate it to the public who I feel have a right to know. Especially since an auction has been promised and advertised. LT

PS I just received another call which suggested using the GOOGLE search engine under Schrade For some other info I have not checked it out and frankly I am to tired to care so I do not know what may be found there.

Like I said a while back this deck has been stacked from the beginning.
 
Update if anyone still gives a hoot. The bank must make a decision on the bid or bids, it has or will receive, by SEPT 22. The law ( like it matters ) requires that the public be notified by SEPT 23.

In the event the bank does not accept the bid ( done deal ) . Then the collection would go to auction. However if it goes to auction it may be offered in total. or, ( I guess depending the whim of the day ) it may be sold in an auction, however if sold in an auction it will be sold in complete panels. This is due to the epiphany these movers and shakers have finally been made aware of by there high priced lawyers ( which collectors have been telling this since day one) regarding the laws and realitys that are involved in selling and auctioning these artifacts. Unfortunately there lawyers are not really sure what is the law, since as I have said before these laws were passed in 1958 to be as nebulous, arbitrary and capracious as possible so that each enforcment is simply a matter of individual interpretation and whim of whatever individual or agency is involved. What these laws are in NYS, and the correct procedure to do this correctly are available but, no one is listening. They have also finally realized that the individual auctioning of each piece would require more time than they ever imagined. This fact has also been brought up and there are ways this could be done. The chances are they would also realize a much larger final total than they will get this way. You can be fairly sure the buyer of the collection will find the time to do this and at whatever price they feel they can get.

By the way the panels represent about half of the collection so supposidly they will group up the rest and sell them as lots. Yea right, sort of a penny social grab bag special. Does anyone really believe this will happen.

The now, 100 dollar bidders fee is refundable. At least by todays ruling. As far as the knives go it would seem that all of these factors would deem that on SEPT 23 the bid will be accepted and that will be that. At this point I just enjoy watching this play out. By the way the other day some people were supposed to photograph the collection and when they attempted to do so were denied access. Yup everything is on the up in this deal.

Done deal, cut and dry, from the giddyup. Now tomorrow is the first day of open house I wonder if the knives will be accessable. Will pictures be allowed? If I go I better go in drag so that after these postings they do not know who I am. On second thought drag is no good Phil might be there and think I was an Ellenville maiden.

The good part of this is that sooner than later this will be over, The only thing that aggravates me is all this round a bout bull. There is an auction there won't be an auction, we will auction in panels, we will sell the whole collection, we will sell individual pieces. Maybe, perhapes, whatever. Yes indeedy remember the old axiom, whenever there is confusion there is money to be made and the one thing for sure here, is that there is plenty of confusion. LT
 
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