Selling knives and can't find original box (general question)

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Agator007

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(Not a "for sale" ad, please don't move)

I want to sell some knives to reduce collection size but can't find the original boxes on most of them (thrown away at some point probably), and am wondering if this is a problem (for whatever reason)?

Thanks!! :)
 
Not usually a problem. Just be accurate and honest in your sales description. "Sorry, this knife does not come with box" or something similar, if you need to say anything at all. Avoid hinting or inferring that box is included; "NIB" would obviously be unacceptable.

They might not sell for as much without the box, but generally if the knife is a desirable model it'll sell anyway. If the knife is used, having the box or not won't make much difference.

In the future if buying knives to re-sell, keep all of the boxes and accessories intact if you want the best price. :)
 
matt1987 said:
Unless it's a special edition or something I personally don't see a need for a box.
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Box and factory paperwork can provide important clues as to the date of manufacture and other critical information.
Even casual collectors can instantly distinguish between an original Old Timer pocketknife and a new imported recreation with just a glance at the box. Or spot a Camillus Becker box out of an ocean of KaBar Beckers.

Heck, sometimes you can't even know the knife's model number or name unless you have the box or some other record.
 
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Having the box will give you a better chance of selling it at the market price which you'd want for it.
 
knifenut1013 said:
Nope, to have a box is just a bonus.
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Exactly. Two knives for sale simultaneously, identical except for one is missing the box. There's only one buyer that day.
Guess which knife he's going to choose?

---------------

Plus, some companies have really cool boxes. :D
 
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Most knives I've sold as "new no box" always sold lower than knives listed as NIB.

Except a few rare older Benchmade knives I recently sold on the auction site, I don't think it mattered that the boxes were missing, they sold at a decent price.
 
Hey thank you a bunch for the many thoughts.

I'm frustrated for not having the boxes, but never though I'd actually want to sell them one day.

Would it help the buyer to have the actual sales receipt?

Thanks!
 
Agator007 said:
Hey thank you a bunch for the many thoughts.

I'm frustrated for not having the boxes, but never though I'd actually want to sell them one day.

Would it help the buyer to have the actual sales receipt?

Thanks!
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To someone that fancies themselves a collector, a reciept is not good. The box indicates the knife is complete, as it was from the factory. It's like buying a baseball card or a comic that has just been laying around, occassionally flipped open and used as a coaster, etc. Think about it.
 
I agree with the others, if it's a user it doesn't make too much of a difference. For a collector/non-user though, I would easily buy for a higher price if it had the box.
As for the receipt, that wouldn't matter to me at all no matter what the knife is going to be used for unless it's needed for a warranty.
 
bfnewbie said:
I agree with the others, if it's a user it doesn't make too much of a difference. For a collector/non-user though, I would easily buy for a higher price if it had the box.
As for the receipt, that wouldn't matter to me at all no matter what the knife is going to be used for unless it's needed for a warranty.
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^^^ This. If I'm buying a used knife I like to find ones with the box missing to save a few bucks. That way I don't have to bother storing a box that I don't need.
 
Agator007 said:
Would it help the buyer to have the actual sales receipt?
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It is interesting though in a novel way: It shows the date of purchase and original purchase price, and might be an indicator to a buyer that you have given the knife a superior level of care and preservation. It would also be evidence to support a claim of "original owner," and that the knife hasn't been passed around a hundred times already.

Still, I don't think it'll impact the selling price.

Maybe it might if it were a vintage knife. Imagine a knife your grandfather bought in 1930 and it still had it's original sales receipt...
 
Just clearly state that you don't have the box and let the buyers decide for themselves.

Value of collection items is always higher if it comes with original box (and wrapping). This is true for all things like watches, toys, whatever. Sometimes, 20-30% of the value comes from the box. Buyers generally want the box to know that it was well treated.

Even for "users", I typically still want the box because I may want to sell it down the road.
 
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