These earliest Schrade Scrimshaw editions were unique in several ways. When the series started, the theme was nautical (as in the anchor logo and the artwork). I suppose they realized that design variations sticking with that theme would be rather limited, so after several years they began using wildlife instead. And the logo changed to a stylized sun.
The "parchment" colored boxes with the pen drawing of the sailor was unique too. IIRC, these were only used for the first three years before they went to the black leatherette boxes. Eventually those changed to the blue printed fold down boxes when the number of knives released each year increased well beyond the initial two. The black leatherette slip top boxes were still used for quite a few years for SFO's and special editions.
Your knife, as you know, was a 1977 edition and there were "officially" 12,000 made (a thousand dozen). This was the second issue year for the Schrade Scrimshaws, and the last that was nautical before they went to wildlife scenes. It was also before the actual series name was settled on "Scrimshaw Of The Great American Outdoors" and before the "500" pattern numbers were adopted. And as you know, the earliest scrimmed Sharpfingers had unique texture embossed sheaths.
Great find!
Michael :thumbup:
