Scagel knife auction

yitz

yitz

Joined
Mar 5, 2000
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435
On March 11-12 there's an amazing auction of Scagel knives from the collection of Dr. James Lucie through Julia's Auction House. The following is the address: http://jamesdjulia.com/
 
I would guess that this is the largest sale of Scagel knives EVER. There are some important knives and the estimated prices don't seem that high.
 
BTT
Dudes, I would love to see some comments by knowledgeable people about the knives and the auction. This is a major event! ;)
 
yitz said:
BTT
Dudes, I would love to see some comments by knowledgeable people about the knives and the auction. This is a major event! ;)
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I'm probably not "knowledgeable" by YOUR definition, but i'm thinking it is a "major" event to a VERY select group! I may be totally wrong, but I think the "estimates" are optimistic to say the least, which is why I hope to see the results posted.

By the way, I AM a fan of Scagel and like his knives VERY much.

Regards,
Peter
 
Peter: I have no definition of knowledgeable. I just wanted to see opinions from people who are interested. I love Scagel knives. He was a very colorful charecter and an inspiration to so many other knifemakers. Personally, I think the estimates on many of the knives are low. The market is funny these days. I guess we'll see.
Kevin: Good question. The history of great collections is very interesting.
 
Kevin Wilkins said:
That is an incredible collection of knives. Does anyone know why he's selling them all now?
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From a common sense perspective, I would guess Mr. Lucie has had a lifetime of enjoyment from his collection and his relationship with Bill Scagel. He is not a young man, and probably desires to see the collection go to those that appreciate it most, and to enjoy the financial rewards at this point in his life.

Just a guess?

Peter
 
I saw the preview in Blade this month. I'm not what you consider knowledgeable about Scagels but I am familiar with his work. This should be an amazing auction for sure!
 
The site is a maze to figure out. I finally found the Lucie/Skagel knives. About halfway down the page.

That so many are offered at once will certainly hurt sales. One at a time might see these prices, but all at once? For the good of Knife Collecting, I hope I'm wrong. I doubt it.

No young collectors will afford these, nor want to. And the old guys want to sell off... ;)

Staying posted.

Coop
 
That auction house has been around a long time and has a very good rep. I doubt they would have taken the knives to auction if they didn't think they would sell ... but I registered so I'll be able to see the results! If you check the results for past auctions, their estimates sales figures were pretty close (usualy) to what the goods actually brought.
 
I've spoken with a number of folks who are interested and plan to watch this auction. Besides acknowledging that auction results are always difficult to predict, the #1 reaction I've encountered is the one Coop mentioned - it's a lot of Scagel knives to sell all at once and that may lower the total dollars realized. But that is only one variable. Another big one is that some, if not all the major Scagel collectors may have already discussed which major pieces will go to whom, along with agreements not to engage in bidding-up those items. Such maneuvering could also reduce the total dollars realized. And finally, the market for high-dollar antique Bowie knives is said to be flat right now. It's not a good time to be selling antique Bowie knives and probably not a good time to be selling antique Scagel knives either. So the miserable economy, while apparently not dampening collector enthusiasm for high-dollar modern custom knives, certainly has had a negative effect on the prices for valuable antique knives.
The other side of the equation is also interesting. What might drive auction prices higher than expected? In the small world of Scagel knife collectors, like the antique Bowie world tool, one or more wealthy individuals who are hungrily buying NOW could emerge at the auction with a determination not to be out-bid. This type of individual is likely to bid on many items and pay top-dollar for them all. For some, money is not a problem but their collection IS a problem, especially if it lacks core quality pieces or a 'centerpiece' knife. This is important and a real possibility since the bulk of Dr. Lucie's collection will be sold all at once. Therefore, in one very expensive day such a collector could accomplish what usually takes years one knife at a time - and thereby cause the auction to set records for the sale of Scagel knives.
The above comments concern mainly the premium pieces. As regards all the other lesser knives and objects, I'll guess bidding will be brisk because there are many collectors who want something made by Scagel and they already know they can't afford any of the major pieces. Likewise, there are others who may already own 1 or 2 Scagel knives and want another, maybe of a different style for example.
So, I'm betting prices will be less than inspiring but could wind up being very surprised. We'll have to wait and see. :confused:
 
I would have thought it would be more favorable for the seller to have fed the knives in smaller lots into the market through a dealer, rather than dumping them all at once through an auction. There must be reasons why the seller decided to dispose of the collection like he did.

I've always wanted a Scagel knife! Wish I had some money – Geez, how often have I heard that phrase from customers, now I'm using it myself!! :-)
 
Being as large and well known as they are, included in the auction are a LARGE number of guns. Not sure if the base of collectors overlaps much with knife collectors.

As I was looking through the guns to find the Scagel knives, I saw several engraved by L.D. Nimschke, who would be like Scagel in the world of engraving.

Without ANY doubt, the auction company is going to do VERY well.

Should be interesting.

Peter
 
Wow, $20,000 for a knife!!! I am ignorant to the history and value of scagel knives and will likely remain so based on those prices. there are some beautiful knives listed though.

The firearm collections listed are also quite impressive. Some nice looking machine guns and 1911s in the mix.
 
Kevin Wilkins said:
I would have thought it would be more favorable for the seller to have fed the knives in smaller lots into the market through a dealer, rather than dumping them all at once through an auction. There must be reasons why the seller decided to dispose of the collection like he did.
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Pick your poison - either way you have to pay the man who sells your knives. Dealers get a cut and Auction houses get a cut. A good negotiated rate with a known quality auction house can make a big difference when selling a collection, especially if that collection is piggy-backed onto, in this case, a major firearms collection - as opposed to paying a dealer his or her regular fee on individual pieces or very small lots. I'm not saying this is always the case but one needs to do the math to make the right decision. Other factors to consider include one's estate plans, one's age, one's energy level, tax liabilities year by year, the needs of one's grown children and their families, plus the state of one's relationships with other collectors who covet, and may have for many years, certain pieces in the collection.

It is difficult to imagine all the complications and stresses involved in owning and eventually parting with such valuable and desirable antiques. l'm confident Dr. Lucie has made the right decisions and I hope he does very well. He deserves to do well, IMHO, not because he was smart, persistent and dedicated, but because he always shared his knowledge AND especially his collection with anyone who was interested. Even so, I'm sure he's anxious about the auction as I would be too. It's not just knives and stuff he's putting on the block - it's a huge part of his life-story and identity.
 
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Well, the auction is done. Turns out very few of the knives went for under the estimated amount; quite a few went for over. Looks to have been a very successful auction. Personally, I'm gratified. Many of the new makers are putting out fabulous stuff, but to me there's nothing like holding a piece of history in your hands.
 
Did you purchase one of the Scagel knives from the auction?

I have said it before, and it may bear repeating.....American custom knife history is being written every day, one of those "new makers putting out fabulous stuff" right now may be compelling history tomorrow.....Henry, Herron, Loveless and Warenski are all examples that come to mind.

I am pleased that Dr. Lucie was able to convert his personal knife history into what was hopefully a fair chunk of change.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I did, but not really what I wanted. Email or call me [yitz.berger@nyu.edu] and I'll tell you the whole story if you're interested. :rolleyes:
 
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I just hope the owner of the knives sold them because he wanted to and not because he had to. I'm waiting for the results to be posted online so I can see hem. The Julia website is not the best organized in the world. ;-)

PS Yitz, posting your telephone number on a public forum may not be the best idea...
 
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