Pilot´s Knife - need help

[Micha]

Hello from Germany!

I´ve got a Camillus Pilot´s Knife from a friend of mine. The knife is in very good condition, never used, never sharpened, with orig. sheath (but without sharpening stone..)

I´ve never seen this knife before with this etching & polished blade, so it would be great to have more informations about the knife.

Stamped: Camillus + Serial No. 0775
Blade w. etching:
- 4 Fighter airplanes
- Profile of John Wayne´s head w. pilots google/leather cap
The following text:
- WAYNE AT WAR SERIES
- John Wayne starring as Jim Gordon in FLYING TIGERS

Can anyone tell me how many of these knives have been manufactured and in which year(s)? Is this a collectible/rare one? What would you pay for this knife?

Thank´s for your help!

Regards,
Michael

 

[textoothpk]

Sorry you've had to wait so long for an anwer. Your version of the pilot's survival knive was contracted by Untied Cutlery as part of a three knife 'Wayne at War' series, celebrating three great John Wayne war movies. The others were: A Navy Mark 1 (The Fighting Seabees), the USMC fighting utility knife (I think the movie was 'The Sands of Iwo Jimo').

I do not know how many of each issue were made.

Price for these is not great, although finding the right buyer is the key to getting good $ for it, like someone collecting John Wayne items, or sets of these commemoritives. Maybe $50-75. The box would add more value, the sharpening stone just a bit more perhaps.

Phil

 

[Micha]

Dear Phil,

thank you for this information! That will help..

Maybe I can help someone regarding knifes from Germany.

Regards,
Michael

 

[textoothpk]

You're welcome, Micha. You come from a country with a long, long history of fine cutlery.

One more little fact about your knife: It has no fullers (sometimes called 'bloodgrooves") and is flat ground, unlike the regular production Pilot's knife. It's called a 'platform' knife, made especially for commemoratives and special issues with fancy blade etches.

Phil