Many years ago before numerous burglaries I had a Japanese hand forged honyaki gyuto that was given to me by the president of Nakamichi - a high-end esoteric Japanese hi-fi company in the 1990`s.
The knife blade was about 8 inches long with a satin single-edge and had a lapis luzuli and solid 18 carat gold handle; it was unique and magnificent.
I got it for selling loads of mega stereos in Hong Kong - it was worth 2.5 m yen or about $15,000 for one knife - I`m not joking.That was for top sales in 1995.
I also had a 1980`s Swiss Tissot F1 automatic watch with holes in the stainless steel bracelet to stop sweating.I think that was about 500000.00 yen or $3000 in the mid nineties - I also got for that for hi-fi sales in Macau in 1997.
Both the gorgeous watch and knife got stolen in England in 2001.They were irreplaceable and I never got expensive watches or knives again apart from a $805.00 bespoke English Savernake knives caidao in 2022.
Now I only have a stainless single bevelled - 11" yanagiba and a Japanese 9" guyto plus a Timex indiglo and more cheapie Chinese watches.
It would break my heart if another expensive watch or knife got stolen so I`m not splashing out again on such luxuries.
Now the only things I have worth stealing are rare first edition books like a
FITZGERALD, EDWARD, Translator and Editor
Published by Bernard Quaritch, London, 1859
Seller:
Phillip J. Pirages Rare Books (ABAA), McMinnville, U.S.A.
Association Member:
ABAA ILAB
Seller Rating:
Contact seller
FIRST EDITION
Used
US$ 78,000.00
Mine was a nearly mint copy that cost £20,000 - I got it for my 21st birthday in 1986.
It`s in a safe under the bed!
After a valuation for insurance purposes in 2015 it was worth over £180,000 then.
Now it`s probably worth a quarter of a million dollars - $250,000 for one little blue book - it`s not very big!
My mother, Stefania collected rare books.
I have rarer 17th - 20th century books on display out of thousands - I don`t now how much they`re worth - I`ve never had them valued or researched them; probably quite a lot.