The W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery Company has a very rich history that began in 1889 when William Russell (“W.R.”), Jean, John, and Andrew Case began fashioning their knives and selling them along a wagon trail in upstate New York. The company has produced countless treasures and it continues to do so as one of the most collected brands in the world.
Post by comfixr » Sun Feb 16, 2020 2:47 am
Is there a real Case XX price guide that exists? Im talking about that has prices for knives that were made 30 years ago or more. When I search Amazon I came up with one book & it was a joke as far as having prices. This site, trying to look up a knife is a joke. Im looking for an actual book or guide that I can put in my hand & look up the value of a Case knife.
treefarmer Gold Tier
Posts: 13239 Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:53 am Location: Florida Panhandle(LA-Lower Alabama)
Post by treefarmer » Sun Feb 16, 2020 2:59 am
Need a point of clarification there, Mr. comfixr, are you saying this site, AAPK is a joke?
Treefarmer
1967redrider Gold Tier
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Post by 1967redrider » Sun Feb 16, 2020 3:12 am
to AAPK! As far as what a knife is worth, the best price guide is doing an eBay completed listing search-
After all, where are seller's most likely to sell their knives? Hope this helps!
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!
You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
Mumbleypeg Gold Tier
Posts: 13799 Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:28 am Location: Republic of Texas
Post by Mumbleypeg » Sun Feb 16, 2020 3:27 am
If you’re looking for a published price guide, they’re all out of date before they come off the printing press. The more time that goes by after that the more out of date they become. They are good however for relative values of one knife pattern and date versus another. In other words if the guide says 6383 Whittlers are worth 3X the value of a 6333, twenty years later it’s still probably worth 3X more. But whatever “X” is has undoubtedly changed multiple times over that 20 years.
Values fluctuate with the economy, with changes in popularity of various patterns with collectors, and in some cases from region to region.. Expecting to find a guide that has “current” values is unrealistic. Sold listings on eBay are the best guide you’ll find. I “watch” a lot of auctions on eBay, especially of knives in which I’m interested and have in my collection, just to keep up with changing values. Stuff just doesn’t usually sell for “book” values even though many eBay sellers like to reference the value from some “book” in their descriptions.
There is a price guide here on AAPK (see the top right corner of this page, “Price Guides”). I never use it because it, like all others, is out of date. Not sure if that’s what you’re referring to as a “joke”. If so I’d agree with you but it’s not more of a joke than any other guide. The most recent price guide to Case knives I’m aware of is Collecting Case Knives by Steve Pfeiffer. I’m not aware of many guides having values for 30 year old (1990) knives. Most stop at 1970’s.
Sorry that’s not the easy answer you probably want, but that’s my view from 50+ years of collecting Case and other brands.
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espn77 Posts: 3548 Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2016 4:01 pm Location: South west Kansas by way of TexasPost by espn77 » Sun Feb 16, 2020 3:44 am
Can also try to get Toni Foster to send you his price guide. comfixr Posts: 24 Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2020 5:34 amPost by comfixr » Sun Feb 16, 2020 4:54 am
treefarmer wrote: ↑ Sun Feb 16, 2020 2:59 am Need a point of clarification there, Mr. comfixr, are you saying this site, AAPK is a joke?
Treefarmer
No not the site itself is a joke but the sites price guide is definitely a laugh out loud. Example, I was curious about this 91 Large Congress I have. The only thing this price guide would pull up is a 6488 from 19 whatever til 1982 i think. That I believe 8 out 10 times was a little overkill for the wrong years. Then the last 2 times it pulled up 1991 Antique Green Bone with bombshell shield valued at 575 or something like that. Lol by this time I was to frustrated to remember. Oh & since thats the only Large Congress in shows for 1991 Does this mean thats the only type of large congress they made that year & that my knife is the exotic rarety?
comfixr Posts: 24 Joined: Sun Jan 12, 2020 5:34 amPost by comfixr » Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:26 am
Mumbleypeg wrote: ↑ Sun Feb 16, 2020 3:27 am If you’re looking for a published price guide, they’re all out of date before they come off the printing press. The more time that goes by after that the more out of date they become. They are good however for relative values of one knife pattern and date versus another. In other words if the guide says 6383 Whittlers are worth 3X the value of a 6333, twenty years later it’s still probably worth 3X more. But whatever “X” is has undoubtedly changed multiple times over that 20 years.
Values fluctuate with the economy, with changes in popularity of various patterns with collectors, and in some cases from region to region.. Expecting to find a guide that has “current” values is unrealistic. Sold listings on eBay are the best guide you’ll find. I “watch” a lot of auctions on eBay, especially of knives in which I’m interested and have in my collection, just to keep up with changing values. Stuff just doesn’t usually sell for “book” values even though many eBay sellers like to reference the value from some “book” in their descriptions.
There is a price guide here on AAPK (see the top right corner of this page, “Price Guides”). I never use it because it, like all others, is out of date. Not sure if that’s what you’re referring to as a “joke”. If so I’d agree with you but it’s not more of a joke than any other guide. The most recent price guide to Case knives I’m aware of is Collecting Case Knives by Steve Pfeiffer. I’m not aware of many guides having values for 30 year old (1990) knives. Most stop at 1970’s.
Sorry that’s not the easy answer you probably want, but that’s my view from 50+ years of collecting Case and other brands.
Why do you think they stopped at the 70s with prices? The knife business is as big if not bigger now than its ever been? 90s is antique now.
treefarmer Gold Tier
Posts: 13239 Joined: Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:53 am Location: Florida Panhandle(LA-Lower Alabama)
Post by treefarmer » Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:38 pm
The "Case book" by Mr. Pfeiffer states the 88 pattern was discontinued in 1978. The last comment in this 1st addition of the book says concerning "newer variations: The 6488 "congress" pattern was reintroduced by Case in recent years. It has been made in a wide variety of bone-handle variations and with stainless steel blades. There might be additional in formation in his 2nd addition of "Collecting Case Knives". The 88 pattern is mentioned fairly often on the forum. Go to the search under quick links for results.
Glad your not disgruntled with AAPK!
Treefarmer
Mumbleypeg Gold Tier
Posts: 13799 Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:28 am Location: Republic of Texas
Post by Mumbleypeg » Sun Feb 16, 2020 3:37 pm
comfixr wrote: ↑ Sun Feb 16, 2020 5:26 am
Why do you think they stopped at the 70s with prices? The knife business is as big if not bigger now than its ever been? 90s is antique now.
I don’t know for sure why, but I’ll speculate there are several reasons. After that time period is when Case started producing myriad handle varieties and colors. You can get most patterns from the 90’s and on to present day in green, red, brown, yellow, blue, and even purple, to name just a few. And in multiple different bone jigging styles, various handle cover materials, commemoratives, limited edition serialized runs, SFOs, and so on. Instead of any one pattern being produced in just one to maybe four or five different handle materials, as was typically the case prior to the late 1970’s. Just trying to produce a listing of all that would seem to me an impossible task. Let alone trying to research and set values for each.
The advent of internet online auction sites provides a relatively easy and quick “price guide”. With a smart phone you have that price guide with you all the time pretty much regardless where you are. It’s hard to sell a price guide book when most of those knives, or ones similar to them, can be found using a “sold listings” search of an online site. What better guide than seeing results of actual sales?
Lastly, in my experience most of the knives from the post-1970’s have not appreciated much if any in value, when adjusted for inflation. What the newly made versions sell for today is about the same (or maybe more) as a 30 year old version of the same pattern. There are exceptions of course. Whether one considers the 90’s antique depends on your age and perspective.
Just my observations. Others may have different opinions.
Member AKTI, TSRA, NRA.
If your religion requires that you hate someone, you need a new religion.
When the people fear their government, that is tyranny. When government fears the people, that is freedom.
