J. Bruce Voyles, Auctioneers 
Auction 57

Phone bids start July 10, 2011
Last day for bids July 11, 2011
Online Bidding Available sooner.

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Lots 1-99                         Lots 100-158                    

Bid by email or fax NOW!  All knives are shot on a 1" grid for size comparision.
This is a real auction, consigned knives sold to the highest bidder. These knives are NOT for sale, if you see one you like bid for it like you would want to own it--you very well could!   Click on thumbnails for a larger view! 

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Lot 3 Lile- “Handmade by James B. Lile” script mark  reverse  says "150 years of the Texas Rangers. No. 23 of 50."  Ivory slab handle.  Texas Ranger medallion on guard.  Bought new in 1978.  Zipper case, no sheath. A spectacular example of the work of the legendary Arkansas Knifesmith. Overall 17 3/4 inches, Blade 11 3/4 inches (MMC 57369  Minimum bid $400.00

Legend, Cutlery Hall of Fame Member, Knifemaker’s Guild President, and maker of the knives for the first two Rambo movies (among several others), Jimmy Lile needs little introduction to knife buyers. He started making knives in 1946 and became a full time maker in 1970. The script mark is his earlier mark

Lloyd Hale is one of the first art knife makers. Considered the finest handle knifemaker who has ever lived.  Over 20 years of his work was purchased by a single collector and no resided in the Fraizer Historial Museum in Louisville, KY. He began making knives in 1959.

Lot 6 Jim Sorenberger- Wavy blade dagger- handle of ivory with intricate scrimshaw of death figure with sickle.  Signed “Wallace” on handle side.  2-tone brown leather sheath with design. 9 ½” Back side of blade is a single concave grind. Some natural checking in the ivory. Overall 9 1/2 inches, Blade 5 1/4 inches (MMC 57170) Minimum bid $200.00

Jim is a former police officer turned knifemaker around 1970. His work is clean, creative, and one of the major art knife makers.

Lot 8 Lile Folder w/ Black Micarta Handles, marked "Lile" in script,  Overall 3 7/8 inches closed  inches (MMC 57108) Minimum bid $120.00

Lot 10 Ruana-  Carbon steel bowie signed on blade: RH Ruana 32B “M”.  Brass guard aluminum horse/gator coffin pommel on one side.  Purchaced new by consignor from Ruana in 1972.  Original leather sheath.  Overall 14 inches, Blade 9 inches (MMC 57181) Minimum bid $250.00

Lot 12 - An early Weiss- horn handle, fileworked- hard sheath with metal fittings.  Overall 17 inches, Blade 12 inches (MMC 57174) Minimum bid $325.00

New York born Charles Weiss makes his knives in Arizona. This former Special Forces vet specializes in high end art knives.

Lot 13 Boyd & Fireman- Francis Boyd & Ken Fireman.  Blade stamped: Boyd&Fireman, San Francisco.  Under guard marked: F Boyd, SF.  Large California style Bowie - full tang slab handles.  Extra heavy duty custom leather sheath.   Overall 14 inches, Blade 9 inches (MMC 57132) Minimum bid $200.00

Francis Boyd only partnered with Fireman briefly in the 1970s. Boyd studied oriental blades under Nakajima Muneyoshi.

Lot 15 Cheatham- Skinner- Chipped flint Indian style stainless blade- hilt wire mokume handle slabs Sambar Stag handles- leather sheath. Mountain man style sheath. Overall 11 inches, Blade 6 inches (MMC 57155) Minimum bid $300.00

Bill Cheatam is a Knifemaker’s Guild member who has been making knives in 1977. He introduced the folding gut hook in 1977, mokume bolsters in 1978, and the chipped flint style blade like the knife here, in 1980. This style was later used by Buck in a Yellowhorse series.  Bill is also police officer who was wounded in the line of duty, which briefly interfered with his knifemaking for a while.

Lot 16 Rick Brown Persian (curved) dagger.  red leather sheath. Unbelieveable how light and quick a knife this large is. Carved handle. Mint except for a couple of specks.  Overall 18 inches, Blade 12 inches (MMC 57373)  Minimum bid $200.00 

Rick Browne of Upland, CA formerly worked at McDonnell-Douglas before becoming a full time knifemaker. He was tutored in integrals from Ted Dowell. His work has been featured on the front cover of Blade Magazine. He started making knives in 1975 and was an early Guild member.

Lot 21 D’ Holder liner lock, called his "Peanut" model, sheep horn handles, micarta backstrap Overall 2 1/8 inches, Blade  inches (MMC 57175) Minimum bid $100.00

D’Holder is a member of the Cutlery Hall of Fame and served as President of the Knifemaker’s Guild for several years. He started making knives in 1971.

Al Pendray is one of the few people who has actually made wootz Damascus (no folding/layering). And the results were published in the renowned "Scientific American" Magazine. He is a former President of the Knifemaker's Guild, and in his work as a farrier has shoed some of the most famous (and valuable) thoroughbred race horses in the world.

Lot 28 Gil Hibben Bowie.  Stamped on blade- HibBEN knives, Manti, UT.  Initialed on hilt: M.C.J. for customer.  He used the Manti mark f rom 1965-1970. Stacked washer handle-brass butt.  No sheath. Overall 14 1/2 inches, Blade 9 3/8 inches (MMC 57196) Minimum bid $250.00

Gil Hibben is best known for producing knife designs and handmade knives for Sylvester Stallone beginning with the Rambo III movie.  These knives were mass produced later by United Cutlery, who he designed several knives for as well.  He also designed what is commonly called the Browning folder, and among the knifemakers who have been students of his: Buster Warenski, Harvey Draper, Steve Johnson, and Rod Chappel.

Lot 29 Jess Horn- 1978 Commemorative Kansas City single blade lock-back folder. #60 on blade.  Ivory slab scales. Cracks at one pin in ivory.  Lanyard hole. Scratched bolsters as if carried. Overall 3 3/8 inches, Blade  inches (MMC 57091) Minimum bid $200.00

Jess Horn is a legend, joining the Knifemaker’s Guild in 1971 and becoming a full time knifemaker in 1975. He originated having drawings for the option to buy one of his knives—and that demand has only increased over the years.

Lot 31 John Nelson Cooper- Iron Mistress Bowie.  Custom made.  Tool steel- brass guard & grooved butt end.  Brown micarta handle.  Leather sheath by GORDO Overall  inches, Blade  inches (MMC 57368) Minimum bid $300.00

John Nelson Cooper began making knives in 1924, and is the subject of a book by the late Paul Basch on his life and his knives. There is a John Nelson Cooper Collectors Society. His method of joining the guard to the blade was patented, and made knives many Hollywood actors.  When he retired he sold the business to Cliff Linderman who today sells a modern version of the Iron Mistress for $1200.00.  Cooper passed away in 1987.

Lot 72 R.W Wilson bowie. Circa 1977. Old ivory micarta handle.  Brass guard, A couple of minor scratches above makers stamp where stamp slipped.  Mountain scene with 2 bears scrimshawed (by maker) on handle.  No sheath.   Overall 14 3/4 inches, Blade 9 1/4 inches (MMC 57194) Minimum bid $70.00

R. W. is best known today as a supplier, but a portion of his display is always devoted to his handmade knives, which he started making in 1968. In the days when such things did not make knifemakers famous, he made the tomahawks used in the Robert Redford classic, “Jeremiah Johnson”.

Lot 79 FE Edwards(Fain), blacksmith- Two bleeding hearts- custom skinner- upswept blade.  Stag slab handle with 6 pine over a tapered tang.  No sheath Spotted. Overall 5 1/2 inches, Blade 3 1/2 inches (MMC 57189) Minimum bid $80.00 

Fain Edwards has been a member of the ABS and the Knifemaker’s Guild. He studied under Daryl Meier, Bill Bagwell, and Harvey McBurnette. In addition to his knifemaking he began producing Damascus steel for sale to other knifemakers, and was one of the founders of Parker-Edwards Cutlery Company in the late 80’s.

Lot 86 Lloyd Pendleton- Bowie marked #1, 1st small bowie he made (1 of 3, this is the first)- purchased by the consignor from Pendleton in 1978.  Stag handle, 154 C.M. steel, nickel silver hilt.  Leather sheath.  12” Overall 11 1/2 inches, Blade 6 7/8 inches (MMC 57114) Minimum bid $100.00

Lloyd Pendleton started making knives in 1973 and became a full time maker in 1978. He has been a member of the Knifemaker’s Guild.  He also taught me the proper way to grill a steak: heat the grill very hot, and sear all sides to seal in the juices when you first start cooking it. Some of his designs are produced commercially by manufacturers today.

Lots 1-99                         Lots 100-158