M3 trench knife w custom handle/NEW INFORMATION NEW PRICE

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mbjannusch

mbjannusch

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FOR SALE

IMPERIAL M3 TRENCH KNIFE, This beautiful 1943 Trench knife has a Blade marking US M3 IMPERIAL 1943, This knife was customized by its owner probably on its way to the South Pacific. The handle is made of clear, Aluninum and Yellow washers. The Blade is 6 1/4 in. Comes with its orginial canves sheath. Over all condition is Great. Most of these were broken in combat or shipped over seas after the war.
This is the real deal.
185 shipped

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New Information New Price; Written By Barnard Levine

Thank you for your inquiry and payment.

The knife is a 'customized' US Army M3 trench knife.

Only the blade is original. It was made in 1943 by Imperial Knife Co. of Providence, Rhode Island.

The original handle was stacked leather washers; the original pommel and guard were steel.

This page has pictures of original M3 knives and scabbards.
http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=687

The current handle is stacked washers of clear Plexiglas (acrylic).
In WWII this material was most commonly used for aircraft canopies and windows.

The thin green plastic spacers might be painted Plexi, but to me they look more like celluloid.

The metal parts of the handle appear to be aluminum alloy.
Aluminum and Plexiglas were commonly salvaged from wrecked aircraft.
They were also readily available in Army and Navy aircraft machine shops.

*

Today's collectors call such user modified military knives 'theatre knives.'
They used to call them 'radar knives.'
Like collector names generally, these names should not be taken literally.

Theatre knives are a popular collecting specialty.

This knife is a nice example of the type, despite the wear to the blade.

I showed your pictures to Mr Bill Wright, author of the book "Theater Made Military Knives of World War II."

He writes:

> I would think this knife would be worth $125-175. Nicely done.
>It looks like the tang of the blade has been painted. This was done to give
>the knife color in the handle. I have been told by vet's that many times,
>especially aboard ships, other colored material was not available. Some
>times the spacers that appear more color, like the center spacers, were
>painted on the sides as well as the tang. <> Bill

I defer to him on value. He is active in this particular market, both buying and selling.

BRL...

Bernard Levine
PO Box 2404
Eugene OR 97402-0124 USA Tel: 541-484-0294
 
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