Auction 40 Ended August 28, 2008 Page 1
Phone bids start Tuesday
June 26, 2008 10 a.m.
THESE KNIVES ARE NO
LONGER AVAILABLE. THEY HAVE BEEN SOLD TO THE WINNING BIDDER.
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BILL MORAN
Lot 1 Clip point Bowie wire inlaid and checkered wood handles, half moon on sheath, Mastersmith mark. W. F. Moran tang mark, tapered tang. One tiny freckle on the edge and one smudge on the back of the blade. At a show you’d never notice, but if I don’t mention it I know I’ll hear about it. (wsc1003) Minimum bid $3500.00.
Lot 2 Carved ivory handled upswept skinner, fluted bolsters and pommel, half moon hand fitted sheath. 10 1/2” OAL(bbm-1014) Minimum bid $7000.00.
WILLIAM F. MORAN
Bill Moran was a legend in his own time. Founder of the American Bladesmiths Society, and leader of it during it's formative years, he almost single handedly preserved, and vastly expanded the hand forged blade. The ABS School is named for him and is a monument to a man who rather than keep secrets to himself showed everyone how to forge blades, make Damascus , and other knifemaking techniques.
R. W. LOVELESS
Lot 3 Bob Loveless, Riverside , made especially for Ted Devlet (engraved in a BRASS cartouche on top of the blade) with additional engraving by H. H. Frank. Originally purchased for $500 in 1977. 7 1/4” OAL, 3 1/8”blade. With original Loveless catalog also featuring engraving by Frank. (jca-100) Minimum bid $
The Loveless mystique proceeded the forming of the Knifemakers Guild, but his being named the first President (called Executive Secretary in those days) laid the groundwork for the Knifemaker’s Guild being a group that would dominate custom knives for years to come. His drop point design was described by Field and Stream Editor Dave Petzel as, “had the knifery world standing on its ear.”
Personal: I’ve worked with Bob on the reissue of his legendary “How to Make Knives” book, and he is one of the most enjoyable and intelligent people I have ever met. His design of the drop point is the standard for all knifemakers, and his to-the-point comments about knifemaking and knives are often blunt—but also true. His knives reflect this bluntness. They work, they work well, they are designed well, and they have a style all their own.
H. H. FRANK
Lot 4 The Legendary H. H. (Henry) Frank has made knives since 1965, pioneering the engraved art folder, of which he engraved himself. He is one of the original Art Knife Invitational members, and reportedly makes less than 12 knives a year. 3 3/8” closed, full engraved blade, bolsters, lock bar gimping, gold shield, brass bolster, one single tiny freckle (lwt) Minimum bid $1500.00
LLOYD HALE
Lot 5 Lloyd Hale matched pair of Bowies , 14” blades with brass butt, hilt, and back; ivory handles, 19” overall. Reportedly displayed at the Seattle World's Fair. Sold in 1977 for $750.00. Tips of both knives have been bumped and slightly blunted. Some age checking in the ivory on both sides of both knives. (jca-1140) Minimum bid $700.00
Lot 6 Lloyd Hale, dagger stag handle, file work around tang. Stag extends longer than the handle (Jim Schmidt style) 9” OAL, 4 1/4” blade (jca-) Minimum bid $200
LLOYD HALE
Lot 7 Lloyd Hale, stag combat knife, (marked on hilt the brass guard) Stacked stag with red micarta spacers, shows some use, near mint, ding or 2 on the brass guard. (jca-1134) Minimum bid $300.00
In the early days Lloyd Hale was acclaimed as the finest knifemaker in the game when it came to art handles and decorations like filework. This is an example from that time. He dropped out of mainstream knifemaking for 20 years to purse his art for a single patron, Owsley Brown Fraizer of Louisville. You can see that collection of 20 years of Lloyd Hale knives at the Fraizer Museum in downtown Louisville . And he’s been seen at a few shows recently with some newer work.
Lot 8 D. E. HENRY
D. E. HENRY
Lot 8 Sheffield style coffin-hilt Bowie , steel wrapped, traditional style sheath with metal tip, throat, and frog, #2 on reverse side. Shivley style clip, mint. 15”O AL , 10” blade (jca958) Minimum bid $1800.00
Considered on of the best Bowie knife makers of all time, Henry spent did his homework in addition to being a near flawless craftsman.
Henry had a blunt (to say the least) personality that at one time prompted a show promoter to pull a gun on him for the way Henry was speaking to the promoter’s wife. Another collector once parked his car at the front entrance of the California Custom Knife Show with the bumpersticker, “Will Rogers never met D. E. Henry”. One of Henry’s customers once told him he had some of the ivory Bowies in from his collection scrimshawed—and Henry told him he would never sell him another Bowie because he had desecrated the Bowies. And Henry never did sell him another Bowie . Having said that bear in mind that his personality did not prevent him from making some of the finest, and most desirable handmade Bowies ever made in the modern era.
Personal: My contact with Henry was always cordial, and we talked on the phone quite a bit in preparation of the publication of his history of the Collins Knife book, which I had arranged to publish before selling Blade Magazine.
RON LAKE
Lot 9 Ron Lake Folder. Aluminum frame, micarta insert mint, 3 5/8” long closed. (jca-) Minimum bid $2000.00
RON LAKE
Lot 10 Wood handled skinner. Rare Lake fixed blade by one of the most famous folder makers. 6 7/8” OAL, 2 7/8” blade, hidden tang, brass guard. Pictured on page 42 of Sid Latham’s “Knives and Knifemakers”. (jca1060) Minimum bid $400.00.
Ron Lake sold his first knife in 1966 and is credited with inventing the interframe and the tail lock. His knives heads everyone’s top four list. He is an Art Knife Invitational Maker. Dave Petzal said of him in Field & Stream, “For over 30 years Ron Lake has been one of the premier maker of folders”.
JESS HORN
Lot 11 Jess Horn stag skinner 8”OAL, 3 3/8” blade, stag handles, tapered tang, #-009 Mint (jca-) Minimum bid $500.00
Lot 12 Jess Horn ivory handled folder. 2 3/8” blade, 3” closed, 154cm steel, satin finished, domed silver pins, #007 Mint. (dmt-984, 985) Minimum bid $500.00
Jess Horn began making knives in 1968 and is semi-retired today, but his knives are some of the most desired in the world. He no longer takes orders and only does one show a year. He originated the drawing for the right to buy one of his knives—and if you want one of his latest models you have to put your name in the hat today—unless you win the bid on this one! The opportunities to find Horn knives are always rare.
GEORGE HERRON
Lot 13 George Herron, Aiken , SC Model 4, 154cm, Mexican bacote handles. 9 1/4” Oal, #755. Rare serrated top edge of the clip (jca-959, 960) Minimum bid $500.00
In my opinion, and the opinion of many others George made the best damn deer skinning knife ever made. And he needed to from the number of deer he harvested each year. At one lodge where we were hunting I was shown a Herron knife that had skinned over 400 deer (and was still in use). His knives are among the most by collectors—and by anyone else who ever knew him. His hunting buddy Dave Petzel of Field & Stream said of him: “There’s never been a Herron knife that wasn’t perfect.”
Personal: It is hard to write about George. Like many he was a mentor to me, a friend, a hunting companion. He had a magnetic, amiable, straightforward charm; and a no bull personality.
He was a former President of the Knifemaker's Guild, a member of the Cutlery Hall of Fame, a Korean War veteran (and hero in the true sense of the word). And I am very honored to be able to say he was a friend.
D’ALTON HOLDER
D’HOLDER
D’ALTON HOLDER
Lot 14 D’Alton Holder, Phoenix , AZ “My Knife” amber and ivory handle, catalog included. (jca-109) Minimum bid $400.00
D’Holder looked at this knife at the 2008 Blade show and remarked that the split nut at the top was very rare, and this was the old style amber, unavailable today. In the collectors notes was a remark that the ivory had come from a Cairo , Egypt museum, and he verified that. He had a friend whose father worked in the Cairo museum, and the museum replaced some damaged ivory—and ordered the father to break up the old replaced ivory. He did, but the chunks were still big enough for D' to use, and the father sent them to his son, who passed them along to D'. There are a few checks in it, but D' said they were there when the knife was made.
D’ has been a Knifemaker’s Guild member for over 30 years and has held every officers position in that organization as well as being a member of the Hall of Frame and winner of the 1981 Red Watson Friendship Award from the Guild.
Lot 15 D’Holder interframe hunter with an agate handle, tooled sheath, 8 1/8” OAL, 3 3/4” blade, tapered tang. Mint. (mbc) Minimum bid $400
Personal - I was going through Phoenix on a driving trip to the Great Western show, and that afternoon I called D and offered to buy his dinner. He had plans but did invite me to stop by, and we enjoyed some quiet knife talk—while his barber came in and cut his hair!
CORBET SIGMAN
Lot 16 Corbet Sigman Model 1, micarta handle. This is the knife used in the old Sigman brochure (included) 7 3/4” OAL, 3 3/8” blade(jca-) Minimum bid $200.00
The late Corbet Sigman made his first knife in 1970 and was a full time knifemaker.
Lot 17 Corbet Sigman hunter, 8 1/2” hunter, 4” blade, hidden tang, nickel silver fittings. Original catalog included (jca) Minimum bid $170.00
Lot 18 Bill Bagwell, Vivian , LA. Early straight hunter, stag handle, 10 1/8” OAL, 5 3/8” blade, no sheath. A freckle spot or two on the blade back. Original catalog included (jca-129) Minimum bid $200.00
Lot 19 Bill Bagwell bowie , 9” blade, 15” OAL, twisted wire on fluted handle, Brazilian rosewood. Fileworked guard and pommel. Original photos and correspondence. (jca-) Minimum bid $400.00.
Bill Bagwell was forging Bowie knives long before he, Bill Moran, Don Hastings, and B. R. Hughes founded the American Bladesmiths Society. This particular Bowie was destined for the famed Hollifield collection, but Dr. Hollifield’s untimely death diverted the knife to another owner. If you look close you will see Bill in the David Mamet movie “Things Change”. Mamet, a knife collector, is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize and is most recently the producer of the TV show “The Unit”.
STEVE JOHNSON
Lot 20 Steve Johnson, maroon micarta drop point hunter, 7 3/4” OAL, 3 5/8” blade, tapered tang with sheath, mint. Included is the original paperwork. (jca-093) Minimum bid $800.00
STEVE JOHNSON
Lot 21 Steve Johnson, 8” OAL, 4” blade, tapered tang, nickel silver sculpted hilt, flat ground blade, coffin handled of ivory micarta. Sold for $390 in 1977. Mint (jca-963) Minimum bid $400.00
Lot 22 STEVE JOHNSON
Steve Johnson, wood handled drop point hunter, 7 1/4” OAL, 3 1/4” blade, tapered tang with sheath, mint. Minimum bid $800.00Steve Johnson is quite simply one of the few gentlemen in the knife business. He is talented, courteous, professional, and exudes class. I have never run a photo of him or mentioned one of his knives for which I have not received a thank you note within a few days. Just for the record he is the only knifemaker in the world about whom I can say that. He gives back as well, working very hard on behalf of the Knifemakers Guild as an officer. He is an Art Knife Invitation maker, and worked with Bob Loveless in his early years. He no longer takes orders, to buy one of his knives you must be drawn for the option—or win the bid here!
WARREN OSBORNE
Lot 23 Engraved pearl handled folder. Fileworked all round. 2 3/4” blade, D2 hand rubbed finish, engraved by Ron Smith, used in his listing in “Today’s Knifemakers” 1988, page 175, includes book (edited by yours truly). Front lock, 3 5/8” closed Mint (dmt-977,979) Minimum bid $1000.00.
WARREN OSBORNE
Lot 24 Ironwood handled wharncliffe shaped blade. 2 7/8” D2 steel, stainless steel bolsters, lockback. Mint. 3 5/8” closed Marked #004. (dmt981) Minimum bid $200.00.
LARRY HENDRICKS, Mesa , AZ
Lot 25 SERIAL NUMBER "0" Hendricks Kangaroo knife, SERIAL NUMBER "0". skinner inside the handle, abalone inlay, fabulous workmanship. KH3, small knife is 5” OAL, 2” blade, file worked, larger knife is 7 1/2” OAL, 3 1/2” blade, one scratch on the top of the handle. No sheath. Matching numbers. Patented. (plm-942-946-20c) Minimum bid $700.00
JOHN NELSON COOPER
Lot 26 John Nelson Cooper, “Bucatan Skinner” Bowie hunter, 10 1/4”, 5 5/8” blade, stacked micarta handles, brass fittings. GUILD FOUNDING MEMBER. (jca-1048) Minimum bid $250.00
TED DOWELL
Lot 27 Other than the goncalo alves wood handles and pins this integral is a single piece of metal. Water damaged sheath but knife was stored separately and MINT. 9 1/4” OAL, 4 1/2” blade. It took a five-year wait at the time for the buyer to get this one. Original catalog included (jca) Minimum bid $250.00
Start with one piece of steel and grind away everything but the knife, that was Ted Dowell’s claim to fame. He invented the interframe, and was President of the Knifemaker’s Guild along the way. Made his first integral in 1972. He has never missed a Knifemaker’s Guild show and is one of the 11 founding members
BILLY MACE IMEL
Lot 28 Bill Mace Imel New Castle Indiana , Model 2 integral hilt and butt skinner, ivory handles, actual knife used in his early brochure. Imel started knifemaking in 1973. Light checking around the rivets (not more than 1/16” long,) 8” OAL, 3 1/4” blade, tapered tang - brochure included (jca-13) Minimum bid $180.00
Bill Imel started making knives in 1973 and has made a variety of knives, leaning more toward fine art knives. He has been an officer in the Knifemakers Guild as well.
LILE
Lot 29 LILE ivory handled folder, dovetailed bolsters mint. Slip joint, 3” closed, 2 1/8” blade, D2 steel. (dmt986) Minimum bid $300.00.
JIMMY LILE
Lot 30 Jimmy Lile Russellville, ARK Searles Bowie, nickel silver scabbard, #6 of 6 15 1/2” OAL, 10 1/4” blade, fine wood checkering, mint. Awesome. (jca-1037) Minimum bid $700.00
Lot 31 LILE
Lilelock ivory handled folder, large version. 5” closed, Mint. Pat. No. 4148140 on one side, #232 on the reverse, locks open and closed, 3 1/2”, D2 steel, lanyard hole. (dmt987) Minimum bid $600.00.
LILE
Lot 32 fluted ivory handled Lone Wolf Gonzales Bowie, clip point, #90, mint. Famous Lile limited edition. 14” OAL, 8 7/8” blade (jca1009) Minimum bid $400.00.
LILE Lot 33 Metal handled folder, engraved. 3 1/8” closed. Mint. (ghi1055) Minimum bid $150.00.
JAMES B. LILE
Lot 34 Jimmy Lile, Russellville , Ark. #7 interframe. Lile sheath but feels loose around the knife, knife is mint. 7 1/2” OAL, 3 3/8” blade (jca-1080) Minimum bid $250.00
LILE
Lot 35 stag hunter, blade is mint but some tarnish on the tang and brass bolster. 8 1/2” OAL, 4” blade (lcm1149) Minimum bid $200.00
LILE Lot 36 finger groove upswept hunter. 10 3/4” OAL, 6 1/4” blade, mint except for a single freckle speck on the back side of the blade (wsc1183) Minimum bid $250.00
Lot 37 Handmade by James B. Lile in script, Model 8 skinner and caper, maple handled, 7 1/8” OAL, 2 3/4” blade. Original catalog included. (jca-LILE) Minimum bid $200.00
Jimmy Lile was a former President of the Knifemakers Guild, and a knifemaker to Senators, Presidents, and the common man, and he could talk on an intellectual level with any of them. This was one of the reasons for his legendary success—and also one of the reasons his knives remain in demand years after his death. He make the knives for the first two Rambo movies. He had unique designs including his Lilelock folders.
Personal: Jimmy was Guild President when I took over the reins at Blade Magazine, and as the official magazine of the Guild at that time he helped guide us through a time when there was much uncertainty between the knifemaking community and me as the new owner of Blade Magazine.
Once after a show in California he was sitting in the airport mens room, doing…well doing what you do in a mens room, with his attache case at his feet, which held all his cash from his knife sales. As he watched a hand snaked under the stall and grabbed the handle of the attache case. As Jimmy described it, “So I just grabbed onto his wrist—and stood up.” Jimmy was well over 6 feet, and the would be thief with the now broken arm let go of Jimmy’s case and went elsewhere.
Lot 38 Towell integral hunter with stag insert, 6 1/4” OAL, 2 3/4” blade mint. Paperwork included (jca) Minimum bid $100.00
Lot 39 Towell Finger groove hunter. 9 1/2” OAL, 5” blade, numbered “28-72”(jca-1088) Minimum bid $100
Dwight Towell is one of the mainstay makers of the Art Knife Invitational. He sold his first knife in 1970.
WALT KNEUBUHLER
Lot 40 Bowie with authentic style fringed sheath with catalog. 11 1/2” OAL, 6 3/8” Blade, some light specking along the edge so near mint, although unused. (jca-092) Minimum bid $250.00
Walter Kneubuhler was a knife maker from Pioneer Ohio who died June 14, 1982. The knife shown with handmade sheath. Made in the early 1970's...All Handmade Authentic representations of Mountain Man, Indian, and Fur Trade knives.
Walt Kneubuhler didn’t move in the handmade knife circuit but was famous at the blackpowder shoots and rendezvous events. His knives, often using jawbones as handles, were historical accurate to the Indian style dagger.
CLAY GAULT
Lot 41 Clay Gault was one of the most famous of the Texas makers, and his distinctive longhorn logo was a classic. He was a craftsman and spent 30 hours doing the 24 line per inch checking on this knife he called his Edmundson Exhibition knife. 11 1/2” OAL, 6 3/4” blade, no sheath. Used on the cover of his catalog--and original catalog included in this lot. (jca) Minimum bid $400.00
Personal: Clay died just a few days before he was to have received the Texas Legends Award from the Texas Knifemakers and Collectors Association. It was to have been presented at the 2007 Knives Illustrated Spirit of Steel Show
BOB DOZIER
Lot 42 Bob Dozier hunter, Minimum bid $150.00 Dozier drop point hunter, this particular knife was selected by Sid Latham for the cover of his classic, “Knives and Knifemakers” Handles are Osage orange. Bob designs knives today for KA-BAR. Hardcover copy of the book is included.
BOB DOZIER
Lot 43 Bob Dozier hunter, stag handles, 8” OAL, 3 3/8” blade, red liners, tapered tang, purchased from Ted Devlet in 1977 for $200.00. (jca-991) Minimum bid $150.00
RALPH BONE
Lot 44 Ralph Bone drop point, brass hilt, 4 ½” blade, 9” OAL, FT107, brass shield on reverse engraved “Sid Latham”, filed thumb serrations. From the personal collection of this famous early knife writer and author of “Knives and Knifemakers”. Mint except for some tiny tarnish on the thumb gimping. (jca-1051, 1052) Minimum bid $200.00
RALPH BONE
Lot 45 Engraved stag handled folder. 4” closed, “CLM” on the back, typical early rough finish, slight storage scratches and the spring is just a little weak in closing. (lcm1165) Minimum bid $150.00
RALPH BONE, Lubbock , Texas
Lot 46 Model L, #435, 6” blade, rosewood handle, brass fittings. Near mint. (mbc) Minimum bid $250.00.
Lot 47 RALPH BONE, Lubbock , Texas
Model M #302, 4 ½” blade, Johnson sheath. Knife is mint. Leather sheath never had the female snap put on it. (mbc) Minimum bid $300.00.
Ralph Bone was a knifemaker and gun engraver from Lubbock , Texas , where he was one of the earliest knifemakers. He later sold his business and name to Charlie Hipps, but the two eras are denoted by a unique coding system. His sheaths were made by Johnson, the same sheath maker who made most of the sheaths.
TIM HERMAN
Lot 48 pierced engraving of GOLD Handles, with abalone inlaid underneath 4” closed, one freckle under the logo and on the backspring (plm934-12c) Minimum bid $400.00.
Tim Herman began making knives in 1978, and is considered one of the finest art knife folder makers, doing his own carving, engraving, and handle inlays. He is one of the Art Knife Invitation makers
JIM ENCE
Lot 49 Jim Ence shows the brilliance that makes him an Art Knife Invitational maker—and at the time he thought ivory micarta was the best handle for this style knife. 8 1/2” OAL, 4” blade, 4 diamond shaped cut outs in the blade, integral guard and blade, hidden tang wire wrapped handle, nickel silver wrapped sheath. Original brochure included. (jca) Minimum bid $150.00
RANDALL MADE KNIVES
Lot 50 Leschorn carving, engraving, and ivory insert. Stainless. 12-6 on sheath, white stone, 10 3/4” oal, 6” blade. Originally in the Dr. Hollifield collection and auctioned by Sothebys. Copy of that auction catalog included. (jca-1026) Minimum bid $1100.00
Of all the Randall’s ever made none surpass the complementary engraving,
carving, leatherwork and ivory inlays of master Tom Leschorn.
Lot 51 Randall RKS Third club knife, 10 1/4” OAL, 5 ½” blade, stag handles, Sullivan sheath. Mint. (mbc) Minimum bid $350.00.
TONY BOSE
Lot 52 Stag handled saddlehorn. Bomb shield, grooved bolster, exquisite. 4 7/8” closed. Made in July, 2008. Pristine mint. (abc-1072) Minimum bid $1200.00.
Tony Bose folders are one of the most prized knives anyone can own.
You must be drawn for his current knives, and his work is distinctive in
design and execution as it is in desireability. He also designs for W. R.
Case & Sons. He was recently awarded the Red Watson award from the Knifemaker's Guild. This award is given to good makers who are also good guys.
BUSTER WARENSKI
Lot 53 Buster Warenski fluted horn handled dagger, brass curved guard, 16” OAL, 10 ½” blade, 440C, marked “Buster, Richfield, Utah” (jca-1011, 1012) Minimum bid $200.00
The Late Buster Warenski was a former president of the Knifemakers Guild,
and at has best we considered by many to be the best knifemaker of his
time. he was an artist, and headed everyone’s list of top art knife makers.
now there is a finite number of Warenski knives--and no top collector can
say he has the best knives without at least one warenski in his collection.
His work raised the bar for all knifemaking.
Lot 54 W. D. PEASE
Stag handled fighter. on reverse “R1M5”, 4 1/4” blade, 8 3/8” OAL, 440C hand rubbed finish, tapered tang, nickel silver bolsters. No sheath. Pristine mint. Exceptional balance. (dmt989) Minimum bid $200.00.
W. D. Pease is a knifemaking minister who has been the unofficial chaplin
of the Knifemakers Guild as well as a top knifemaker. He literally spends
hours matching stag handles.
BUSTER WARENSKI
Lot 55 Buster Warenski straight hunter, polished wood handles, 9 3/8” OAL, contoured spacer, 5” blade, 440c two tone sheath. This knife was originally in the collection of author Sid Latham. (jca-961) Minimum bid $400.00