The first information you need is that this set was produced in 1991 for the 50th anniversary of WWII (a small skirmish of which many americans sacrificed there lives and limbs for and is like most american history is being forgotten more and more every year. Please remember memorial day this year not only for them but, all our veterans and there familys. ) That being said this set is perhapes the nicest and most ambitious release ever put out by Schrade. Obviously with a low number like 35 and not knowing the correct date it was produced your friend is not the original buyer. This issue which has gold inlay and stag handles inlet shields representing all the services with a magnificent center piece Bowie that has a 14K inlay depicting the bombing of Pearl Harbor on a black blued blade, is not something one buys and then forgets what it represents.( 50th ann WWII ) or what year it was made. Of course the original 2000 dollar price tag might stick in your mind as well. This came in White stag as well as brown the buyer had had his choice. One set #000 was made half brown and half white this set was used for the ads in the veterans magazines to show both buyer options. . It is one of a kind I own that one. These sets came with a fine furniture quality glass case . I have enclosed ad from a catalogue as well as the pic from the article which appeared in National Knife magazine in April 1991. These were sold with White gloves, a special VCR video, and endorsment and special message from ( I believe Eisenhower the third I would have to look it up.) I have more info and written material if needed however this should get you started.
Now price, OK obviously at 2 grand most folks did not buy several. In fact I do not know if all 500 produced were sold. I do know that later the bowies were sold individually ( they are magnificent) in a small same grade display cases. I also know that at some of the shows the individual LB7 style folders were sold individually and pop up on ebay so complete matched sets are relatively few. So the big question is what is it worth?
This is one of my pet peeves. Buyers of Schrades ( especially on ebay ) are quite unsophisticated seeing that Schrade closed fledgling collectors are running out and buying everything in sight because they believe there value will escalate. However, they do not buy the rare stuff or unique items since they do not recognize them instead they will buy inflated items that they can afford of which in a 1000 years there will still be a glut of hanging around. An issue of a 50 dollar knife scrim issue of which 10,000 were made did not sell out when they were made and will still be available long after all of us are gone. The regular old timers and Uncle henrys were made on a scale that is almost hard to imagine. It has to be millions ( they were great knives but they are users ). A set like your friend has, is truly a piece of history. In time it will increase far beyond its cost and in fact will be like a work of art. That is because that is what they are and were made to be.
These buyers do not understand this, as a result items like yours usually go begging a dealer will offer pennies on the dollar and just put them away until the market matures enough to realize what is really rare. This is the same in every collectable field. Most of the buyers on ebay fall into these two catagorys unknowing collector and wiley dealer. It is tough for the average guy to go out and cough up 3000 dollars which is what this set should bring. It is much easier to just buy another 1 of 8000 scrims ( inflated to twice its regular price ).
I realize that some people make there living buying and selling these items as such they must do the best they can, happily I do not. I mess with it because after 26 years in a job I hated I can now expound ( obviously ) on a subject I enjoy and if I make a buck cool it just means I can make another trip to a casino and play in a little higher stake, poker game. However it still burns me to see these knowledable people take advantage and these new people continuing to gather items for there children that will be worth less then than now. Hell if you are going to collect that stuff just do it for fun, not investment. Pick and choose what you want there is plenty around.
As far as the original question regarding the WWII set. I have seen them not reach even near 1000 on ebay. A dealer will offer 500 to 700 ( maybe). He will hold on to it until some collector wants it and will get 3000. Sorry this is so long winded but it is complicated.
If you wanted to sell the set and were not a dealer my advice would be to put a 1500 or so opening bid on it on ebay. This is a fair rock bottom price then hope the market will have matured enough for people to realize what you have and a couple of people jump on it. The fact is chances are it will not hit the first bid. However a few years from now I believe it may very well be a different story. If you have further question I do have further information regarding this issue. My email is
lt632ret@frontiernet.net
I believe I have taken up enough room already with this posting. LT
Thanks, John Cable
