The Best from the Jim Weyer collection

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AV8R

Joined
Aug 28, 1999
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I was lucky enough to lay claim to the two most desirable from this collection. Of course, that's a subjective statement, but a lot of folks would agree that these two are, by far, the most desirable.

Michael Connor 1 of 1. Damascus blade and bolsters. I have never seen another Connor folder of any type.

Jimmy Lile. 1 of 1. This is the rarest of all the buttonlocks made by Jimmy Lile. A lot of people don't realize that the regular Lile buttonlocks never had "the dot", even after Mr. Lile's death. They were dated inside the frame, which tells when they were built. Stamped #1 on other side of the blade.
 
The style of these knives doesn't appeal to me in the slightest, but I am very sure that you have yourself a couple that are unique.
 
Like the style or not, those are very nice folders, with a big piece of modern knife history behind them..........great score

Is the entire collection being sold off?
 
Pete`s pretty savvy ( smart) knife collector whose been doing this for quite a while. Another good decision Pete. I`ll bet that once these knives are in hand they will become a lot more attractive. Your like a musky--laying in the weeds waiting for these 2 to be posted!!
 
Hi Pete,

Congrats. I know you also saw my own thread on my Weyer knife by Bob Conley.

I'll agree that those may very well be the most desirable. Desirable measured in collectibility, and rarity. Of all the knives Dave is offering THE most beautiful of this pattern (to me) is this one by Billy Mace Imel. His addition of the bevels and smoothing out the lines makes it look great.

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Did yours even make it to the website? I missed them, if they were.

I agree there are an acquired taste, and SOME of the offerings are real clunkers. But not all.

I am proud to have Bob's piece of history with me. I honor the early work too.

Congrats!

Coop
 
Ain't nothing wrong about that piece!! Definitely not a Plain Jane.
Greg
 
That Lile button-lock would make an interesting addition to any collection - in the words of Larry the Cable Guy, "I don't care who ya R."

It's pretty interesting to think about the time period during which Weyer pursued his folder design, the interest it generated in a surprising number of on-the-move knifemakers and how many of the folders wound up in Weyer's collection. I assume he traded pictures (meaning 'good press') for knives - in this case, a knife of his design. Or maybe it was a revolutionary and much admired design in it's time that served as a kind of benchmark. The latter seems somehow doubtful but the former makes a lot of sense. Maybe somebody who knows will share.

I'm not sure, but Jim Weyer may have usherd in the modern era of knife photography when knife photographs began to elicit some (less, obviously) of the same kind of emotional voltage as does the actual seeing - at a show, for example.

Unless I'm mistaken about the history of custom knifemaking, it would seem that Weyer's non-traditional knife photography was associated somehow with a real explosion of interest and demand which would've been roughly the 1960s, 70s and 80s.

I've heard a couple of makers, now age 70 or older refer to this time as "the golden age." It was indeed a golden age for lots of things we don't really think about. I've heard the same refrain from older doctors and people involved in the business world in general back then. Yes, there was the oil crisis of the early 70s and maybe that interrupted things for a while. Again I'm not sure, but, as I said, it's interesting - interesting because it may have some parallels with current times and/or times to come.
 
Per Coop - "my own thread on my Weyer knife by Bob Conley."

Coop - it was your thread that had got me thinking about this in the first place. :thumbup:
 
Coop:

I agree, the Imel is the nicest looking that I've seen in the pics. The Lile that I have is really nice when looking at it in person. The workmanship is fantastic.

Tom Mayo hit it on the head. Tom always does. The fact that the collection has been broken up is a little sad. This was a collection of makers more than a collection of knives. It provided a side by side comparison of how they approached and constructed the same style knife. I like the knife style, but I happen to agree that this would not be my first choice. I'd prefer an old Remington pattern, or something like that. But, that doesn't lend itself to as much variation and interesting interpretation as this style does. 54 Remington lockbacks all lined up would make you think you've wandered into ACE Hardware. To just say, "I don't like the style of the knives" is to miss the point, entirely. They're desirable on a higher level. Ever seen the price of a simple carving fork from Scagel? Do you know what a Randall astro is?

I really like the "old school" makers which is why I find this collection so interesting.

Pete
 
AV8R said:
To just say, "I don't like the style of the knives" is to miss the point, entirely. They're desirable on a higher level.
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Buddy and Pete and Tom: I'm glad you also see the depth they embody. Based upon style alone I would not have much interest. Funny, I am liking them more and more.... :p ;) :D

The benefit of the breakup is that 54 individuals can now own a piece of the dream. (Make that 53.... ;))

Coop
 
AV8R said:
To just say, "I don't like the style of the knives" is to miss the point, entirely. They're desirable on a higher level. Ever seen the price of a simple carving fork from Scagel? Do you know what a Randall astro is?
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I certainly realize that there is a great deal more to those knives than just whether one like the style, but I don't collect knives for their historical value, or for the fact that they are rare. I only collect knives that I like. The only reason that I would purchase a knife that had a style that was not to my liking would be if it was a great price and I could sell it and use the funds to purchase a knife that I do like. This of course is a totally personal preference, and the way I do things. I do not expect that other will follow the same path.
 
Coop: As soon as I saw the collection, I spoke with Dave and told him I'd like these two if he ever decided to sell the knives separately. It took a couple months for him to make the decision. Your Imel was another knife that Dave suggested I claim to, but I just couldn't afford to go any further. The price tags on the two I have were far and above the others. Dave really liked the Imel. Dave said when you'd view the collection as a whole, you looked through a window into the past and could see how the knifemaking art has progressed over the last couple decades. Some of the makers were at the top of their game then, such as Imel and Lile, and put out very refined pieces. Other makers, such as Kious, Overeynder and others were still developing their skills but would eventually develop those skills to a level that surpasses the the top makers from the 70's and 80's. Of course, there are exceptions. It's a privilege to own knives of this historical value and rarity.

Pete
 
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