- Joined
- Dec 2, 2005
- Messages
- 71,250
I’m sure that most of you folks are familiar with – well at least know about (we don’t all want to be giving our ages away! 
) – the German period of hyper-inflation in the early 1920’s. Workers would get paid at lunchtime, and by supper-time their wages were worthless. People burned banknotes as they were worth less than firewood, and children played in piles of unwanted cash strewn about the streets.
Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself a bit here, because this story doesn’t start with a Mark, it starts with a penny. Some months ago, Paul Hilborn admired an old Victorian penny that I had sent to Gevonovich. I offered to send him one, and when it turned out he had an interest in collecting coins, and in currency in general, I got hold of a British pre-decimal set for him.
About a week ago, I spotted a 1923 German 20,000 Mark note in an antique shop window, and thought Paul would find it of interest. I wasn’t sure if he already had one though, so I sent him a photograph of it. Now, as it turned out, and as things work in this lovely place we have here, Paul had also been thinking of me, and with the assistance of Duncan, was planning to send me a knife. The knife in question was a brand new GEC Farm & Field Redneck Sodbuster, and he was putting it in the envelope that very day. The same day it turned out that I posted a thread thanking Meako, our man in Australia, for sending me the very same knife!
Now, yesterday, Thanksgiving Day, (which of course we don’t celebrate here because we have little to celebrate apart from our beautiful weather and a heap of old stuff), I was out having a meal with an old friend. The restaurant was very close to the business centre where I get mail and parcels sent (an arrangement I’ve had since I used to travel a lot), so as we passed it after eating our meal, I asked my friend if they wouldn’t mind if I called in. To my slight surprise, a small rectangular parcel was handed to me, and I excitedly slipped it into my coat pocket.
I managed to restrain myself until after we had been for a drink, but as soon as I was alone, I took out the Victorinox Alox Bantam (kindly gifted to me by ScruffUK) I was carrying, and slit through the tape holding the box together. Inside was a lovely letter from Paul, and along with the letter were the fabulous knife you see pictured below, as well as a Case Zippo, and a 1943 US Quarter.
I instantly fell in love with the knife, it is absolutely gorgeous, and these photos, taken on a gloomy day atop my kitchen table, really don’t do it justice. Paul wrote to me about the knife, how he came across it, and restored it to the superb condition it is in today.
Jacks have always been my favourite pattern and this old Boker is a real beauty, the ebony covers have a wonderful feel to them, as indeed does the knife itself. Every part of it is, for me, a joy to behold. The overall size makes it very pocketable, and it is just perfect for me. The main blade is just a tad broader than you might expect, something that really appeals to me, and Paul has given it a razor-sharp edge. The iron rat-tail bolsters are wonderfully done, and the shield gives the knife even more class. The proportions of the pen are also just right, and the walk and talk and overall fit and finish are absolutely fantastic. When the banknotes here were printed, along with millions of others, this lovely knife was already in adulthood. For me, it is an absolute dream.
Paul, I am extremely touched and honoured to receive this wonderful knife from you. We really have a special place here, and this is yet another example of the warmth, kindness, and generosity that overflows from our members. Thank you.
It’s been a while since I smoked regularly, but I very occasionally have a cigar, and I like to carry a lighter in any case, so this Zippo will be added to my EDC, and I think that when it gets to Christmas, I’ll buy myself a cigar, and think of you all while I smoke it. Maybe I can even find a porch to sit out on, and the winter sun will warm me a fraction as much as the fraternal friendship I’ve found here warms me every time I visit this amazing place. Unlike those poor German workers, with their worthless 100,000 Mark notes, I think we’re genuinely rich.
I hope you all had a very happy Thanksgiving, I certainly did.
Jack
) – the German period of hyper-inflation in the early 1920’s. Workers would get paid at lunchtime, and by supper-time their wages were worthless. People burned banknotes as they were worth less than firewood, and children played in piles of unwanted cash strewn about the streets.Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself a bit here, because this story doesn’t start with a Mark, it starts with a penny. Some months ago, Paul Hilborn admired an old Victorian penny that I had sent to Gevonovich. I offered to send him one, and when it turned out he had an interest in collecting coins, and in currency in general, I got hold of a British pre-decimal set for him.
About a week ago, I spotted a 1923 German 20,000 Mark note in an antique shop window, and thought Paul would find it of interest. I wasn’t sure if he already had one though, so I sent him a photograph of it. Now, as it turned out, and as things work in this lovely place we have here, Paul had also been thinking of me, and with the assistance of Duncan, was planning to send me a knife. The knife in question was a brand new GEC Farm & Field Redneck Sodbuster, and he was putting it in the envelope that very day. The same day it turned out that I posted a thread thanking Meako, our man in Australia, for sending me the very same knife!
Now, yesterday, Thanksgiving Day, (which of course we don’t celebrate here because we have little to celebrate apart from our beautiful weather and a heap of old stuff), I was out having a meal with an old friend. The restaurant was very close to the business centre where I get mail and parcels sent (an arrangement I’ve had since I used to travel a lot), so as we passed it after eating our meal, I asked my friend if they wouldn’t mind if I called in. To my slight surprise, a small rectangular parcel was handed to me, and I excitedly slipped it into my coat pocket.
I managed to restrain myself until after we had been for a drink, but as soon as I was alone, I took out the Victorinox Alox Bantam (kindly gifted to me by ScruffUK) I was carrying, and slit through the tape holding the box together. Inside was a lovely letter from Paul, and along with the letter were the fabulous knife you see pictured below, as well as a Case Zippo, and a 1943 US Quarter.
I instantly fell in love with the knife, it is absolutely gorgeous, and these photos, taken on a gloomy day atop my kitchen table, really don’t do it justice. Paul wrote to me about the knife, how he came across it, and restored it to the superb condition it is in today.
Jacks have always been my favourite pattern and this old Boker is a real beauty, the ebony covers have a wonderful feel to them, as indeed does the knife itself. Every part of it is, for me, a joy to behold. The overall size makes it very pocketable, and it is just perfect for me. The main blade is just a tad broader than you might expect, something that really appeals to me, and Paul has given it a razor-sharp edge. The iron rat-tail bolsters are wonderfully done, and the shield gives the knife even more class. The proportions of the pen are also just right, and the walk and talk and overall fit and finish are absolutely fantastic. When the banknotes here were printed, along with millions of others, this lovely knife was already in adulthood. For me, it is an absolute dream.
Paul, I am extremely touched and honoured to receive this wonderful knife from you. We really have a special place here, and this is yet another example of the warmth, kindness, and generosity that overflows from our members. Thank you.
It’s been a while since I smoked regularly, but I very occasionally have a cigar, and I like to carry a lighter in any case, so this Zippo will be added to my EDC, and I think that when it gets to Christmas, I’ll buy myself a cigar, and think of you all while I smoke it. Maybe I can even find a porch to sit out on, and the winter sun will warm me a fraction as much as the fraternal friendship I’ve found here warms me every time I visit this amazing place. Unlike those poor German workers, with their worthless 100,000 Mark notes, I think we’re genuinely rich.
I hope you all had a very happy Thanksgiving, I certainly did.
Jack
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