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Acquisitions from sales

Summer is here and with it flea markets and yard sales. I go to these as often as I can along with esate sales. I have found some interesting and unique finds so I've decided to blog the sales and let everyone in on them. I've learned a lot about going to sales to find knives from reading about methods in "Blades Guide to Knives and their Values"

My latest adventure was a very good opportunity as this was a community yard sale/ flea market. The town has a main drag approximately 2 miles in length and litterally every block had people selling. This could take a week to cover a one day event. How do you cover that much territory with so little time. Everyone has their methods so what I say here is not, by any means, the only way to shop. I eliminate the spots where all you can see is toys, clothing, cosmetics, and food stuffs. I focus on vendors with antiques, outdoor sporting goods, tools, hardware, military, and anything that you would naturally assume may be a knife source. Old/antique sewing vendors may have hidden in their cache small M.O.P. kives that were made years ago for ladies to keep with their notions for cutting thread and such.

Even if I see no knives, I always ask because you never know what someone has but does not have displayed or thought of selling. One spot had nothing at all of interest but I asked if they had any type of knives. One lady said no but a lady who was sitting beside her said her fiance has recently died and he had lots of knives that she was just going to throw out. She said they were at her house and if I gave her my name and number she'd call me ealry this coming week to let me see if I wanted them. "Visions of Sugar Plums danced in my head"!

I stopped at a repair shop that had many tables set up outside as well as in his service area. There I found a Kutmaster camp knife made in Utica. Very good condition. Also a Keen Kutter large fixed blade. Total cost two dollars. While he was making change he said if I gave him my number he would call me next week because he had a bunch of boxes with sets of knives and single knives still in the boxes that his father had gotten over the years and he want to get rid of them. Another spot revealed not visible yet an inquiry had me coming back later to look at some knife made by Case that he had no use for.

Another stop yielded 3 SAK's and scissors made in Sheffield, England. For twenty-five cents each I sprang for them. A stop at a table full of knives I could see from the street showed me where all those 100 knives for $100 ended up.

Getting back to the "some knife by Case" spot. The man brought out a tin box with Case XX on the front. I opend it and found a gift set of honing oil, sharpening stone, leather sheath, and a Case 2159L with 8 dots. I'm not a real dyed-in-the-wool Case fanatic but I do know even with a private company etch on the blade it was worth more that I was going to be able to pay, probably. I took a chance he knew as little about knives as he was leading me to believe and asked how much he was asking. He said $60 would be a good price. I said it would be good for him. I then asked what he would be willing to take. He said $35. I countered with $25. I now have a new Case knife.

Total investment for the day- $28. Yield- 5 knives and 1 scissors with several leads.

I'm looking forward to getting calls from people who said they had knives they wanted to "get rid of" and see how badly they want to get rid of them. I will keep you posted as to the weekly sales I go to and what turns up at them.

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Comment by Chuck Parham on June 2, 2013 at 16:33: OK Ron, here's more.

Edward Campbell Simmons (1839-1920) was a hardware tycoon whose business also handled knives and hatchets. He started by using traveling salesmen and a 5000 page catalog. Keen Kutter was his top of the line product. He began by having his knives manufactured by Walden Knife Company. He was so impressed with their workmanship that he purchased the company in 1879 and made it into the largest U.S. knife company. It was common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for hardware companies to market their own brand of knives. Cutlery became a major part of his hardware business because knives were small to handle and very profitable.

EC Simmons had a motto- "The recollection of quality remains long after the price is forgotten." Shortly after Simmons' death in 1920 his sons sold the concern to Winchester. They in turn converted empty factory space into a cutlery production facility. Winchester then added Walden Knife Company to their holdings among others. Winchester-Simmons open a nationwide chain of hardware stores to capture 25% of the hardware business in the U.S..

Simmons Hardware went bankrupt in 1939 but Shapleigh Hardware (Diamond Edge) picked up the trademarks and produced Keen Kutter Knives into the 1960's.

Comment by Ron Cooper on June 2, 2013 at 16:06: Not too shabby at all! Good show, mate!

Comment by Chuck Parham on June 2, 2013 at 15:49: The Keen Kutter was made prior to 1940. Sharpleigh Hardware Company took over EC Simmons hardware and changed the logo to Keen Kutter with a large "K" along side the two words. The company closed in 1960. The handles are indeed adorned with Sterling silver trim. Pictures show several different sets and a carving knife and steel are one of the original sets. They can be found for around $50 on the different auction sites. Not too shabby for $1.

Comment by Ron Cooper on June 2, 2013 at 15:46: After seeing all the cool stuff you scored in just one outing I feel kind of jealous that I don't live in your neighborhood. Out here in So Cal a carving set like that would be labeled as an antique and sold for a ton of money. Or, at least they would be asking for a ton of money!

I was in an antique store recently in Pasadena--think Rose Parade--and one of the vendors had an 18" stick that was sitting in a spittoon with a pricing label on it. He was asking $179 for it! I asked the guy why he was asking so much for this old stick. And, I mean it was JUST an old stick--no carving on it...nothing! He replied that it was "Folk Art." Hmm? I guess I need to think about that! lol Oh well! Free enterprise -- Ya gotta love it!

I digress. Do some research on that set and the E.C. Simmons tang stamp and let us know what you find out, okay?

Comment by Chuck Parham on June 2, 2013 at 15:29: Ron,Thanks for the lead on the info for Simmons. The picture has an anomaly that looks like a chipped blade when in reallity it is a reflection of light on a tiny bright spot against a dark spot. Right after I took the pick I ran back to look at the knife wondering why I hadn't noticed a chip before. I have a matching steel that I got with the knife but the pommel is missing. I took all 3 pieces at a cost of $2 because I want to see the boxed knives and sets of knives he has to "get rid of".

Comment by Ron Cooper on June 2, 2013 at 15:16: Hi, Chuck! I agree with your assumption about the letters spelling STERLING. I can tell you that the E. C. in the name E.C. Simmons stand for Edward Campbell. This knife was probably made in St. Louis, MO.?

Looking at your pic it appears as though the edge has at least one chip in the edge? Other than that it looks really nice. I bet that it would clean up really well. You did good, my friend! I bet that was a high dollar piece it its day. It was more than likely made before 1960? In fact you might want to do some research on that tang stamp? E.C. Simmons Hardware has an interesting history. Especially the knives that were made here in the States, like I believe yours was.

Comment by Chuck Parham on June 2, 2013 at 14:59: Ron, the blade has E.C. Simmons on it. The pommel has around the edge with the scrolling the letter "STERLI. I am making an assumption this is a mark for Sterling silver but I'm not sure. Any ideas on this particular piece??

Comment by Ron Cooper on June 2, 2013 at 13:12: Looks like you had a great day, Chuck. That Case Hammerhead goes for about 3 times what you paid for it. You got a terrific deal on that one alone. Was there any maker's mark on that large carving knife? Or, is that the large fixed blade Keen Kutter? Thanks for sharing your bounty with us.