"The Great Collections" HAS BEEN PRINTED!!

cratercraver- I believe it is still available only as a pre-order and probably won't ship until right before or after Blade. At least, my copy hasn't shipped yet; it's an exercise in patience! :D

not really, of course. I was expecting that when I placed my order.
 
Creating a complicated project such as "The Great Collections" involves
dealing with a large number of people, collectors, photographers as well
as knifemakers working day and night to try and complete a new
masterpiece for a collector who is exhibiting in the book, and get it
photographed in time too....

Trying to get everything right for a specific DAY is a terrifying experience
which I would not recommend to my friends...

Due to stretching of production deadlines ..... The book was only
printed in February-March and is shipped by sea. This and dealing with
customs at the US port take time so I hope and pray that the books will
land in Atlanta a few days before the show.

It will be safe to assume that shipping of pre-orders will begin close to
the BLADE Show time or right after the show...

I think it is worth the short wait.......

See you in Atlanta,
David (ddd)
 
Thank you Sir for posting the names of some of the collectors covered in your new book. Many are friends of my wife and I, and reads much like a who's who of many of our customers, as well as several of our close Friends/Makers. Such as Bob L. and Steve J. Many of them are patiently awaiting their first example of the Lovett-Loveless Connection Pieces from My wife and I. ( My wife loves Miss Guinn's Collection. WOW!!! Thank you so much for honoring them!) Mike and Manuela Lovett
 
Hello everyone,

I'm Paolo Saviolo the Publisher of the art books I wait all at the Atlanta Blade show table 10 N

ciao:o
 
I received my copy yesterday, it is stunning. It makes it clear that my collection has a long way to go, even if I stay away from gold & diamond bling or super rarities from Moran, Loveless, et al.

A few notes:
- This is the largest gathering of photos of Jim Schmidt knives (folders mostly) I've ever seen.
- The total number of makers represented is actually fairly small, with some of the modern great bladesmiths conspicuously absent (Hancock, Fisk,...)
- The quality of the pictures is mind blowing.
- Looking at the book, it becomes obvious how different collectors are from each others. Some have tastes that are 180 degrees from mines... :)
 
Joss said:
- Looking at the book, it becomes obvious how different collectors are from each others. Some have tastes that are 180 degrees from mines... :)
Click to expand...

You can't buy good taste, no matter how much money you have. You might not have the mostest/biggest, Joss, but you have great taste.:D

The cover "knife" is an abberation. The "bling" thing is the worst of the worst. :barf: :barf: :barf:

Dave Ellis has one of the finest collections of high dollar knives that I have ever seen, and I am fairly envious. :(

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Actually, the front and rear cover knives were deliberately chosen
to represent the two completely opposite aspects of modern custom
knifemaking.

There are those who like pounds of gold and hundreds of diamonds
but also admire the amazing talents that combine the two into objects
of sharp art as seen on the front cover, while the back cover represents
to others the ultimate in clean-line designing of the modern custom
made knife.

As some of you rightly said, matters of personal taste do not always
have a simple explanation, nor should one criticize someone else's
taste just because it is different to one's own...

I know that there are many more truly amazing collections hidden away
in large safe-rooms all over the western world, not to mention the
extraordinary custom knife collections found in Eastern Europe and the
Far East. What I tried to do in 288 pages is exhibit a small part of these
treasures, completing a basic series of books on the sharp art of
contemporary custom knives.

I do hope you enjoy this 4th book and all four books as a series. I tried
to give knife lovers and art lovers from all other disciplines an in depth
aesthetic overview of this wonderful art and the human beings that stand
behind it...

Only you can judge if I did so successfully...

See you at the BLADE Show!
David (ddd)

picture.JPG
 
Joss said:
I received my copy yesterday, it is stunning. It makes it clear that my collection has a long way to go, even if I stay away from gold & diamond bling or super rarities from Moran, Loveless, et al.

- The total number of makers represented is actually fairly small, with some of the modern great bladesmiths conspicuously absent (Hancock, Fisk,...)
Click to expand...

No Fisk, No Hancock; Interesting.......
 
ddd said:
I do hope you enjoy this 4th book and all four books as a series. I tried
to give knife lovers and art lovers from all other disciplines an in depth
aesthetic overview of this wonderful art...

Only you can judge if I did so successfully...


David (ddd)
Click to expand...

David,

You did a GREAT job on the books, it was a huge undertaking, and you pulled it off. They are a must have for the serious collector.

That said, I have no problem voicing my above statement.

Commissioning and creating "knives" such as seen on the front cover does little to advance knife collecting or the skills necessary to produce superior knives.

It is a vanity project if ever there was one, and embarassing to the whole community, from where I sit.

It is only my opinion, though, I humbly submit that I am unqualified to even speak a little compared to the collecting greats that you have assembled in your book.;)

Best Regards,

Steven Garsson
 
As far as I'm concerned, a gold knife is as much a knife as an aluminum sword is a sword. With this said, I can appreciate the vision that goes into something like the King Tut dagger, even though it doesn't do anything for me. The cover page sword doesn't bother me that much. There are a couple knives inside which I find rather off putting, and the enknifement of bling.
 
Kohai999 said:
It is only my opinion, though, I humbly submit that I am unqualified to even speak a little compared to the collecting greats that you have assembled in your book.;)

Best Regards,

Steven Garsson
Click to expand...

I think qualified in deed and you have certainly paid your dues in both challenging opinion and promoting thought to advance the custom knife industry.

So speak your opinion, as some take opposition but always listen.
 
For the record, guys, the knives displayed from each collection were
chosen by the collectors themselves.

All of them were photographed separately on plain grey backgrounds
and assembled together as final illustrations as I saw fit, acting as a sort
of "curator" while putting together an exhibition of world-class art pieces.

I know that many of the more active collectors on the BladeForum have
well defined, individual and mature taste in this field of hand crafted knifeart,
and I know that many of you (me included) idolize Jerry Fisk and Tim Hancock
(I had a full section on Jerry and on Tim in the Fixed-Blade book), but giving
each collector the freedom to choose what they like best from their own
collection ended with the final 650 amazing knives displayed in my book.

See you at table N-10 at the BLADE Show!
David
 
Kohai999 said:
David,


Commissioning and creating "knives" such as seen on the front cover does little to advance knife collecting or the skills necessary to produce superior knives.
Click to expand...

what kind of knife making "advances" knife collecting?

what is a "superior knife"?
 
bandaidman said:
what kind of knife making "advances" knife collecting?
Click to expand...

Any of Buster's Legacy knives, Loveless knives, Walker knives, Lake knives-a gorgeous synthesis finely walking the line between practical, and precious.

The Legacy knives drove a LARGE group of makers to improve many of their skills, and practice of them.

bandaidman said:
what is a "superior knife"?
Click to expand...

I leave you to answer that for yourself, Doc. For me, well designed, functional and attractive.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Well, STeven, I understand that you rolled the ball back into my court..... :)

I truly understand the problem, because I am one of those human
beings that have been blessed with the slightly de-arranged
genome of the true "collector".
There seems no doubt that this is a kind of genetic twist that cannot
be explained in any way to "normal" non-collector human beings.
It can be described while projecting excitement and enthusiasm but
the need to accumulate any type of objects cannot be rationally
comprehended by non-collectors.

There are those who collect nearly everything that "moves", their
fancy lying in various totally different fields. There are those that "target"
one group of objects only, and there are those who specialize.
To this last group of "collectors" everything that does not fit in their
very specific line of collecting-interest is totally irrelevant....

These are the facts of life and one should be aware of them and
patient with non-collectors and with those whose interests are
somewhat similar yet, because of very specialized personal taste
are actually very different i.e. hand crafted-forged "knife" knives
vs. exquisite hand crafted jewel studded gold "art-knife" creations....

In my opinion collectors should therefore show the deep commitment and
enthusiasm for the things they love but at the same time treat with respect
all those who truly love to have in their possession differently crafted
objects that belong to the same general category.

It is a true fact STeven, as you pointed out, that many of the art pieces of
modern custom knifemaking inspired others to upscale their knives. But
in many cases it was also collectors with specific taste and a bank account
that could afford it, who contributed quite a bit to this as well...

What I tried to do in my 4 books on modern custom knives was not
to display my personal taste in custom knives, which, by the way
lies in art "folders". I tried to document for art lovers, knife collectors
and knifemakers around the world the various faces of this art as it
is practiced today in the "Western" World.

I also worked relentlessly to provide not only mouth-watering full color
illustrations of many, many hundreds of modern custom knives but also
detailed descriptions for each knife and studies about the personal lives
of the knifemakers and collectors.
This I did because nowhere else could I find such a "survey" of this
craft that could satisfy my personal quest for a deeper look at what
knifemaking today is all about, something I was truly interested in....

Now, in the USA alone there are about 3,000 knifemakers. What I did
was to sample a drop from this vast sea in order to document this art
and some of the people behind it for future generations.....

See you all at the BLADE Show.

Kevin, I really would like to have the honor of meeting you personally
at the show. Hope you can make it....

David (ddd)
 
severedthumbs said:
looks like the great collectors don't collect them. that is odd
Click to expand...

Don't know that I would make that assumption. :eek: :confused:
Dave Ellis for one, is a foremost Fisk collector. And wouldn't be surprised to find a stellar Hancock or two within those fine collections.

Thank you David. I will most definitely be at 10N on Friday.........
 
Sorry,I do not collect Fisk (I have a couple).
I have never owned a Hancock but have consigned a few.
My collection tastes run very slim these Days-Walker,Lake,especially Loerchner,Schmidt,Loveless and Moran.
I do purchase other makers from time to time.
I like both Fisk and Hancocks work but it is not what I choose to collect,perhaps it is because I am an ABS Mastersmith myself?
Who know's.
Dave Ellis
 
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