Just missed a Don Fogg!

Joss

Joss

Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
7,353
So there... Today, I am on location with a potential partner. That has happened to me exactly 2 times in 2 and 1/2 years.

And what happens? Nordic puts up for sale a Don Fogg, which is obviously snaged right away. To add insult to injury, it was a lovely damascus piece priced at a laughable $550. Boy, I'm pissed...

:grumpy: :grumpy: :grumpy:
 
It had his way old stamp, and the choil was like an inch long, on a small hunter to begin with. I would not have bought it myself, but that is me.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I am with Mr. G on this one. However the price was absurdly low, and it was a must buy even if for trade purposes only.
 
I was talking with Phil Lobred yesterday about makers, and I have felt in the past, and he confirmed, the pieces that you get with an eye for INVESTMENT, should be the best possible pieces you can get.

Nordic had, I cannot remember specifically which, but a barbecue fork by Moran or Scagel, and it was like $1,600. It was in great shape, by a great name, but it was still a barbecue fork, and they had it up on the site for like over a year.

In other words, don't buy the piece just for the name, because you FEEL you can move it down the line. Buy the piece because you LIKE it and FEEL you can turn it down the line, that way, if you get stuck with it for a while, it doesn't bother you.

That piece would have bothered me. I collect what I like, so do you. When I bought that Onion piece last year, I picked out the one that I liked the best, not the one that I thought would make me the most money.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Kohai999 said:
In other words, don't buy the piece just for the name, because you FEEL you can move it down the line. Buy the piece because you LIKE it and FEEL you can turn it down the line, that way, if you get stuck with it for a while, it doesn't bother you.

That piece would have bothered me.
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I would have bought from you happily at $600. :D

More important, you need to know when to take calcualted risks. If you don't, you'll loose most good deals. This was a very low risk for anyone with the prices Don's work fetches on eBay for example.
 
OK, I could have made $50.00 from you, which I would have happily taken. :D

Would you have paid me $800.00 for it, which would be allowing for my minimum expected profit margin? What about $1,000 which is what I really would have hoped to get for it.

What if that $550 could have yielded me a BETTER Fogg at Blade, or an Al Pendray Wootz piece, or a bare Howard Clark blade. Those would have been the areas that I would have put my money for sure, because I would have liked the pieces.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
With a good picture and a well thought out description, this Fogg, despite it's preceived shortcomings, would have sold at some point for at least $800, damascus Foggs are just too rare and his work too sought after for PT Barnum's famous adage about there being an ass for every seat to not apply :). I never mind making $250 for sitting on my fat ass, surfing the forums, and oh, yes, the required 3 minutes of typing, and 5 minutes with my camera. :)

I just traded what I do feel was a much nicer damascus Fogg hunter, and got what I believe is a $1500 bowie. I didn't pay $1500 for the Fogg. :)

I have to admit, a big part of the fun of collecting is the constant wheeling and dealing, keeps me sharp, my collection changing, and hopefully improving. I love this crap.
 
and how long would it take to get sold?

I know at least five of the collectors who go rabid for his work, and are on his list.

I don't know if Joss, Pete, Ari, ChefGet or Jose Reyes would have been able to buy it and turn it to the others for $800. Would you have paid that for it, Ari, anyone?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Well, we can agree to disagree on that. Steven, I think that if your normal return on investment is 40% over a few days, you're a much better investor than myself. That, however, is totally possible... :D

I actually think that in this specific case, there would be people willing to pay $800 or $1,000, or more for it - and I know that because I have seen lesser pieces sold for as much. I have to admit that the fact that the knife was publicly for sale at $550 might make some people feel they're getting scalped.

Personally, I liked the knife as it was and wouldn't have sold it.
 
Kohai999 said:
and how long would it take to get sold?

I know at least five of the collectors who go rabid for his work, and are on his list.

I don't know if Joss, Pete, Ari, ChefGet or Jose Reyes would have been able to buy it and turn it to the others for $800. Would you have paid that for it, Ari, anyone?

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
Click to expand...

Steven, your point about that Scagel barbecue fork is a good one, I too saw that sitting for a long time, and felt just as you did, yeah, it's a Scagel, but, it's a freaking barbecue fork! Sometimes, the name just isn't enough, especially if you're looking to get a price commensurate with that name. Scagel's fame and what people want of his, are knives, not barbecue forks.

However, the Fogg in question, while admittedly not one I personally would want for my collection, is not a barbecue fork, it's still a hunter, and a damascus one at that, there are plenty of collectors who would treasure a hunter by Fogg, and, particularly a damascus one since Don's damascus is so rare. And, if a seasoned Fogg collector like Joss likes the knife, then I have to assume there are plenty of others who would too, after all, just because you and I aren't crazy about it, doesn't mean our tastes rise to objectivity.

No, I would not have paid $800, but I am almost certain that I could have found someone who would, it might have taken a little time, but not too much, and, again, a good picture and description is always helpful. And, as Joss also mentioned, it would have made pretty decent trade material, you may very well have traded it for a knife you could have in turn sold for $1,000+.
 
As a side issue, I have seen 3 Fogg's for sale in the last few weeks - pretty rare. There's a new one for sale on eBay right now - a tad rich for my blood, given the piece. I wonder if that's the same seller as the damascus piece that sold a few weeks ago....
 
I just opened the box and have to tell you all. the pictures did not do this knife justice. the damascus is so dense and heavy its amazing. i love older damascus makers like moran, schmidt, fogg. so much more mystique than the new ultra controlled patterns these days. i collect everything from loveless to lake and i must say, when i held this piece it made my day.
 
drf1,

Remember that you have a grace period during which you may return the knife to Nordic for any reason, no questions asked. Someone that I know is waiting patiently for you to return it. LOL. Hey, I tried. :D
 
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