just one before Chicago

[ryan9977]

interesting STeven.....i wonder how often these knives change hands....if they ever do....i mean if you can swing 50 g's and up on a knife....you are not struggling for cash....if you love knives that much why would u sell it....i mean you said your friend turned down 4x what he paid for the knife....they don't ever NEED to sell knives.....not really directing a question to anyone just a general observation....ryan

 

[Kevin Jones]

Patrick,

Supply and demand mostly. It is a damascus zipper Blade-lock. Those two elements together are only done in maybe 4 knives a year, and Michael has only been offering the Blade-lock for maybe 10 years, if that. That means that MAYBE there are 40 examples available in the whole world...but I think it might be closer to 30.

I know 3 people who have the means and desire to own every one of those 30 knives....and a whole lot of others with the means and desire to own 15 of them....so that one single knife has at least 15 people in the knife community with the means and desire to own it...and they drive the price up....and up.....it doesn't have to make sense to us, but it DOES make sense to them.

I think that Michael would be ECSTATIC to regularly get $20,000 for these, but that is more than he generally charges....I have a friend who got one directly from him less than 10 years ago who paid around $8,000 for his, and had turned down $40,000 for it in 2004....the offers keep going up, and he keeps turning them down....he says he likes the knife more than he would like the money.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

In 8-10 years from now, will this piece bring $110,000?; $10,000? or less?

That's the $100,000.00 question.

Though $60,000 is huge for a collectibles knife, in the grand scope of collectibles it's could be considered small potatoes. Paintings, classic cars, ancient artifacts, time pieces, coins, stamps, antique furniture and the like change hands on a regular basics for tens of times that amount.

It's beneficial to the custom knife industry that some are willing to pay these amounts for knives.

 

[Kohai999]

In 8-10 years from now, will this piece bring $110,000?; $10,000? or less?

That's the $100,000.00 question.

In 10 years, it MAY be back around $30,000..or might go up to $75,000..depends upon some of those same players involved now...these are all big money, long term collectors.

$60,000 is not HUGE for knives in general, just folders....for fixed blades which have longer history it scratches the surface....Will and Finck/Michael Price knives, Scagel knives, Buster Warenski, even some Loveless knives and Moran knives have broken this barrier....some upwards of $100,000.

It is good for the knife community in a general sense, but not so good when you are trying to get stuff from your favorite maker, who's prices just jumped 3x.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[Joss]

Though $60,000 is huge for a collectibles knife, in the grand scope of collectibles it's could be considered small potatoes. Paintings, classic cars, ancient artifacts, time pieces, coins, stamps, antique furniture and the like change hands on a regular basics for tens of times that amount.

Very true and well said. The fact is - knife collecting as a hobby is pretty cheap when compared to many other collections.

 

[Kevin Jones]

In 10 years, it MAY be back around $30,000..or might go up to $75,000..depends upon some of those same players involved now...these are all big money, long term collectors.

Will be interersting to see.

$60,000 is not HUGE for knives in general, just folders....for fixed blades which have longer history it scratches the surface....Will and Finck/Michael Price knives, Scagel knives, Buster Warenski, even some Loveless knives and Moran knives have broken this barrier....some upwards of $100,000.

How often does a knife sell for over $60,000. It's rare and BIG news when it does. For the collectibles I mentioned above it's practically commonplace.

It is good for the knife community in a general sense, but not so good when you are trying to get stuff from your favorite maker, who's prices just jumped 3x.

I agree to a point, however what ever is good for the custom knife community in general is ultimately good for the maker, dealer and collector.

Best Regards,
STeven Garsson

*****************

 

[Kohai999]

How often does a knife sell for over $60,000. It's rare and BIG news when it does. For the collectibles I mentioned above it's practically commonplace.

Sorry, Kevin, but just because you don't hear about it doesn't mean that it is rare, and is frequently NOT big news, because the guys doing those deals have no interest in making it public.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

 

[Lorien]

I like to think that if I had the kind of money it takes to be involved in this kind of stuff, that I'd be spending a lot of it on knives like this.
I mean, if you are wealthy and like collecting things, what better to collect than custom knives?

 

[Kevin Jones]

I like to think that if I had the kind of money it takes to be involved in this kind of stuff, that I'd be spending a lot of it on knives like this.
I mean, if you are wealthy and like collecting things, what better to collect than custom knives?

It's unfortunate Lorien, however custom knives just aren't widely accepted by the general public and high art community as acceptable collectibles. They are too often perceived as weapons.

One of the main reasons the CKCA was founded was to help in changing this stigma.

Note the first three points of our mission:

• To increase awareness and acceptance of custom knives and the collecting of such as a respected and appreciated art form.

• To create a worldwide united and organized group of custom knife collectors, makers and dealers to assist in getting corporate, media and art community support for the betterment of the industry.

• To seek out and interact with related groups and organizations in attempt to create new interest and to help in recruiting new custom knife collectors.

• To educate and mentor new custom knife collectors and makers.

• To form a network of custom knife makers and collectors to promote the industry and support one another.

• To create ways in which for custom knife collectors to better market and connect with other collectors in regard to buying/selling/trading their knives on the secondary market.

• To create more open dialog between customs collectors and makers in regard to education, knife design, knife construction and sound business practices.

• To possibly create an industry wide data base to track maker’s knives as they change hands
from collector to collector.

• To create general minimum quality standards for custom knives and best business practices for use as guidelines for custom knife makers, collectors and dealers.

• To create a database that could rate transactions between members.

• To represent members and the custom knife community’s interest regarding issues and government policy which could have a negative impact on the custom knife industry as we know it
today.

 

[Kevin Jones]

Sorry, Kevin, but just because you don't hear about it doesn't mean that it is rare, and is frequently NOT big news, because the guys doing those deals have no interest in making it public.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson

STeven, as much as I would like to believe these BIG deals are regularly being made behind close doors, I just don't buy it.

Wasn't it just twelve months ago that a Zipper brought $35,000 at the Chicago Show and it was the buzz on every forum and and brought up in every knife conversation for weeks?

Someday I hope to see custom knives start enjoying the respect and appreciation they deserve from the broader collectible community and their values reflecting such.

Beautiful piece Dave, and my hats off to you for helping to move the community forward and having the stones to lay down 50K hard earned for it. :thumbup:

 

[severedthumbs]

what flipper brought in 35K?

 

[Kevin Jones]

what flipper brought in 35K?

Did I say Flipper? I meant Zipper.

 

[Patrick M.]

Very true and well said. The fact is - knife collecting as a hobby is pretty cheap when compared to many other collections.

I think you and STeven must be right... It's not about art or something like this. It's just about collecting. Antique furniture is a good example. No need to provide actual value with gold or diamonds. Only competition between collectors with means...

 

[nikoknife48]

All i need to do now is hit the lottery!