Posted 9 years ago
UncleRon
(41 items)
There seems to be a lot of interest in folding knives here so I thought you might enjoy this one. It measures 1 1/4" long when closed and has 20 blades/tools. The handles are pearl. It was made by J. A. Henckels in Germany, probably before WWII.
That is hard for me to comprehend how small it is to have so many blades ! This is surely a salesman's sample. Everything is too small to use . I think this is really a salesman's sample & probably worth a bit of money in the right circles. Be careful if you try to sell it. You could send me the Indian head if you like for my unqualified advice. Joking !
Thanks for sharing, UncleRon. ; )
Blunderbuss2 - if you think about it, there would be no reason to make a miniature salesman's sample of an item that was small enough to be easily carried in its full size. Usually, true salesman's samples are "small" (but still easily operable), fully functional versions of large things like a 20 foot extension ladder or a 3 foot long iron post drill, which could not easily be transported by a traveling salesman. The sample would be an exact scale model the real thing so potential customers could see exactly what they were getting. If a miniature is covered in advertising it is likely a salesman's sample; if not it may be a patent model or somebody's idea of a labor of love. If it was obviously mass-produced it is probably a retail store "demonstrator" model.
Miniature knives were often produced for exhibitions or just to "show off" the skill of the maker. This knife in "normal" size would be 2 1/2" to 3 1/2" long and could be carried in a salesman's pocket or with many other knives in a roll or attaché case, which was the custom until around the 1960s.
You're right about the Indian. I have seen many advertising items featuring "ethnic" people who look suspiciously European except for their clothing or surroundings. That opens up a whole discussion for which this is not the proper venue. :-)
I'll post some more knives at a later date.
You're right about the size. Isn't this rather hard to open each tool being so small ?
My left thumbnail works out at the gym three times a week. :-) Seriously, it's not hard to open any individual blade but it's real easy to cut yourself trying to get the blades displayed as I did in the first pic. They are all razor sharp.
Maybe they were made to give to enemies ! LOL !!
GREAT PIECE!!!
In French it is a "pièce de maîtrise".
Never seen one so small!
Look this one (but not a miniature...)
http://www.laboiteverte.fr/ancetre-du-couteau-suisse/
Kyra, that is phenomenal ! It even looks like it has a tiny revolver with a bayonet !! TSA would have a field day if they found you with that at the airport !
One of these knives sold on E bay in 2014 for $ 2700....I would be interested in any information any one has on this knife ...as I have one....the stamp on the blade and the percision it is made makes it a nice collector
Thanks, kyratango! Words escape me! I've seen quite a few knives with 50, 100 and even 200 blades but that is simply the most exotic one ever.
Macadoo61 - If you're referring to normal sized multi-blades at 3" to 4", they are still made in Germany and turn up on ebay once in a while. The asking price for 100 blades is around $5-7K and a 200 blade version more than doubles that (although I don't recall ever seeing one sell). Lesser combinations with eight to about 28 blades go for $25 to $50 per blade but there are a lot of other factors, condition being paramount, as well as complexity, size, and handle material. When considering one like kyratango linked to, all bets are off; like a van Gogh or Picasso it's simply what somebody is willing to pay for the prestige of ownership.
I was refering to the 1 1/4 inch knife 20 blades....I have one of these and would like to have any information any one has about it...Thanks
What is your referance to my street address?? and what does LOL mean??
Macadoo61 - "LOL" is texting shorthand for "Laugh out loud". I think Blunderbuss was joking that if he could get your address he was going to steal your little knife. Adding LOL indicates that he was just joking.
Now, just to give you an idea, IF I was going to sell MY knife (and I am not) I wouldn't take less than $350 if I really needed the money. On a good day I could probably get a lot more BUT that depends on finding the rare buyer who appreciates the item, wants it, and has the money. The Henckels name adds considerably to the value of this example. What is the name or stamp on yours?
UncleRon....thanks ..... for you info....sorry for getting sideways there....I am 74 yrs old ...not up much on the computer lingo...I wonder if the Henckels company would have any record on these little knives.......
UncleRon......the stamp on my knife is the same as yours.............
Don't worry; I'm not that far behind you. :-) You can always type those letter abbreviations (e.g., IMHO = in my humble opinion / BTW = by the way) into Google and find them. I do it all the time. I used to think they was just laziness but if you start to spend a lot of time on blogs it saves time.
Anyway, If you send Henckels some pictures they MAY be able to give you some info but I'm betting it will only be a broad spread of years during which it might have been made.
Uncle Ron...you said on a good day .....you could get more than $ 350. ..If you realy needed the money.....check this out my friend..........
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-miniature-multi-blade-exhibtion-knife-Henckels-made-in-Germany-pearl-/221356165627?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276
Merde sacrée! Thanks.
That is what I said when I saw what it sold for.......my knife has only 10 blades or tools....with 2 picks
LOL, Ron !!
Here's a more recent example:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/J-A-Henckels-Knife-Mother-Of-Pearl-23-bld-tool-EXHIBITION-KNIFE-1-1-4-NR-MINT-/361595361684?_trksid=p2047675.l2557&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&nma=true&si=0TY%252Bru0xX17f5mjX1KHEsHAWPfo%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc
Thanks for sharing Uncle Ron......glad to see that these knives are selling...will be glad to hear someday just who made these little knives...and more about them....Mike
Ron, it's Shane with the unidentified horsemans. May have an answer, need your brains
Amazing henckles by the way!