transposed stamp numbers

It happened 2,181 times in 1991 :)

The 512OT Sharpfinger was produced for a special order for Europe. Only the first 25 pieces shipped according to the records. The rest were "salted" into production shipments domesticaly over the next few years. The few shipped were provided with black boxes with blue text.

15rh1c8.jpg


Considering the rarity, that one went for a decent price, IMHO.

Michael
 
That's very interesting information Michael. The knife appears to be no different than the plain vanilla 152 except for the stamp. If only 25 shipped, do you think the black/blue boxes accompanied those "salted" domestically? As you know, a tan/brown box accompanied the knife in the listing. If those black/blue boxes only accompanied those shipped overseas, then the boxes may be more rare than the 512 knives! Any idea how many knives with the 512 stamp remained at home and which boxes accompanied them?

Thanks again for the interesting tidbit of history.
 
No idea on the boxes. The example in my collection also came in the stock tan box, was bought here stateside by the original owner. I have one of the black boxes though. It came from the factory after the auction. There were, if I remember correctly, about five patterns in the cancelled order, the 512OT being the only fixed blade. LRV has one of those, a small folder.

Michael
 
Here is a quote from a post I made some time back when the subject came up:


Codger_64 said:
In early March of 1991, an order was received by Tim Faust, products Manager at ISC Ellenville, from the European sales office for five special Old Timer patterns for export only. These knives, designated “Product Family - Old Timer Europe”, were the19OT, 126OT, 226OT, 512OT, and 518OT, all based upon domestic patterns, but with unique tang stamps and stainless blades. All were specified to be placed in black varnished boxes with gold imprinting, and packed with a standard OT/UH brochure.


19OT - A two blade pen knife, stainless blades and springs, OT handles.
Est. Qty. 1991: 600
Total Produced: 1,835
Total shipped to Europe: 251

126OT - One blade Mustang, stainless blade, OT handles, same knife as 125OT except stainless.
Est. Qty. 1991: 1,000
Total Produced: 1,483
Total shipped to Europe: 637

226OT - Same knife as 225OT except stainless.
Est. Qty. 1991: 500
Total Produced:
Total shipped to Europe: 953
(A subsequent order for this pattern appeared in 1994 for 500 pieces)

512OT - Same knife as 152OT except stainless.
Est. Qty. 1991: 750
Total Produced: 2,181
Total shipped to Europe:25

518OT - Same knife as 158OT except stainless.
Est. Qty. 1991: 600
Total Produced: 2,246
Total shipped to Europe: 26

It is unknown exactly what became of these knives, other than the numbers shipped to Europe, except that some of the 19OT and 512OT have shown up on the U.S. market in regular production boxes, and they dwindled in the year end inventory without showing shipment to Europe. I am yet to acquire an example of the 19OT, 518OT, 126OT, or 226OT. No record has been found indicating that the subsequent 1994 order for the 226OT was ever filled. Oddly, the tangstamp order blueprint for the 512OT is dated 9-28-90. The whole story is as yet unknown.

Codger
Click to expand...

As you can see, I misremembered about the second fixed blade (which I have still not seen).

iwkgex.jpg
 
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