A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

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HLangston
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A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by HLangston »

My mom used to collect Hummel figurines. She had some pretty rare ones, according to Hummel experts, including some from the early 1950s.

She used to tell me they were worth at least six grand and when she kicked the bucket, I would get a lot of money for them.

Well, she kicked the bucket about five years ago and I carefully packed them up to ship them back home, where I would photograph them and put them up for sale on eBay. Many of them still had the original price tags on the bottoms.

Who collects Hummels? Lots of people. The problems is that they are ALL DEAD. Nobody still walking cares about that trite sentimental crap anymore.

I got about five cents on the dollar for those stupid little things.

---

Why do we like vintage "Golden Age" Italian switchblades?

A lot of it is Boomer sentimentality and nostalgia -- memories of our youth in the 1950s and 1960s, watching Rebel Without a Cause and West Side Story and Blackboard Jungle, knowing some of the cool kids in school who had Italian (or more likely Rizzuto) switchblades (I was one of those cool kids). It was knowing that you had something wicked, something that was illegal (in most States), and that it was somehow imbued with mysterious meaning or dire consequences.

When I kick the bucket in the next decade or so, who is going to care about my collection? What will happen to their value when there is no one left alive who has any nostalgia for these things?

Or do you think that -- unlike many "collectibles" -- there will always be a market for 1950s/1960s Italian switchblades?

I'm thinking the time to sell my Italian switchblades is now, and not dump that problem on my kids. Besides, they have plenty of switchblades already.
Herb
sammy the blade
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by sammy the blade »

If you sell them now you get to spend the money, not someone else. If you're dead I guess it really won't make any difference to you. The choice is yours.
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JimBrown257
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by JimBrown257 »

As long as the general public continues to vilify switchblades, and The Man says we shouldn't be able to own them, they will always be highly sought after by a small but dedicated base. However, if one day the normies all of the sudden realize that a fast opening pocket knife is not really any different than the one you gave your kid when he turned eight then the hobby might be in trouble.
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jerryk25
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by jerryk25 »

Collecting is cyclic. . . Hummel figurines will make a comeback. . . .
If you collect Hummel Figurines, I'll bet you'd pay more than 5 cents on the dollar.
a quick ebay search show a Hummel figurine selling for $21,000.00, , the next highest was $14,000.00
But you can't sell a collection, flood the local market. . .and then expect a killing.

Your collection is for you to enjoy. . . it's not an investment.. . .collections never are.
I have all kinds of WWI airplane memorabilia, I expected a 100 year anniversary price spike, it didn't happen.
But that does not mean it's not valuable.

We put everything in Trust. . . I don't really exclusively own anything anymore. Houses, guns, knives, guitars,
Artwork, Records (we have white album number 000138. ) It's why i can't just sell or trade my knives . . .
When I die, kinfolk already co-own my house. I have perpetual renters rights and can't be evicted.
When I borrow money, the Trust assets are better collateral than my personal assets.

Everything is tagged with a date and purchase price. Everything is cataloged for insurance.
It was a pain to start. . . .but it's easier now 40 years later.
I learned about trusts when we turned over my father's flintlock and Arrowhead collection to a public museum.
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fastr19
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by fastr19 »

I believe with all the facebook groups into switchblades, the value will stay pretty high.
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big_slim
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by big_slim »

It's really hard to say what will happen to the future value of anything. If I were looking at things from an investment standpoint, I'd invest in land, oxygen, and water. Having said that, in the past 6 or so years since I started collecting knives I've only seen the value of switchblades go up. Especially the vintage stuff. I don't know why. You still see them used to menace people in current movies & shows though so that keeps people of aware of them and possibly wanting one maybe. A lot of modern autos, microtech, etc. also have a good resale value. I don't see Hummels making a big comeback but you never know...Kinda like beanie babies, there's always a few super rare ones that somebody will pay up for but most of them aren't worth much of anything.
TazmanTom
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by TazmanTom »

We all need to do more to influence the interest in the generation coming behind us. I've seen at shows, groups of these "newbies" circled around their phones, comparing notes. 25 to 30ish age groups mostly. They know what they're doing and are using tech to their advantage, a really good thing. It's a new world, but I think there's hope. Tom
sammy the blade
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by sammy the blade »

TazmanTom wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 4:56 pm We all need to do more to influence the interest in the generation coming behind us. I've seen at shows, groups of these "newbies" circled around their phones, comparing notes. 25 to 30ish age groups mostly. They know what they're doing and are using tech to their advantage, a really good thing. It's a new world, but I think there's hope. Tom
I don't know, kids today are stuck on the net but it leaves plenty of swings to use at the parks!
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jerryk25
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by jerryk25 »

I live with a Mother and a Mother-in-law, and My brother's Girlfriend.
I have my late wife's collections.
Not counting the cool "Guy" toys. . .and just the "Girlie" stuff.
We Have . . . .Depression Era Candy Glass(20+). . .Demitasse Teacups(80+). . .Glass Baskets(100+). . .
Ceramic / plaster Santa Clauses. . . 4 China tableware sets(300+ pieces). . . .Natrishka stacking Russian Nesting Dolls((60+). . . .
Avon Perfume Bottles Figurines only. . . . Blown Glass Baskets table centerpieces. . . .Handwoven lace . . . .
Rosedale Ceramic pieces. . . Little Golden Books children's stories (4ftx3ft bookcase) . . . .The cookbook collection(filled fireplace gun cabinet). . .
The hand painted Easter Egg collection(2 buffet drawers). . . .The 12 inch figurines Italian 1930's Nativity set "Kresh". . . .
Ceramic decorative Lithuanian Bells. . . .1890's-1920's Steiff Teddy Bears. . . .
All manner of raw or cut and polished and mounted Fossil Baltic Amber, from chunks to jewelry to mosaic paintings.
about 20 3foot tall religious Virgin Mary statues. . . .about 40 Roman Catholic Jesus crucifixes, from 48 inches to 3 inches.
3 hope cedar chests filled with Needlepoint. . .the Lusterware shelf also known as "Weeping Gold ceramics". . .
A shelf of that weird chalk blue ceramics with powder white cameo reliefs . . .
a shelf of African Violets. . .a shelf of Christmas Cactuses . . . a room of Orchids. . . .
And piles of Archival family photographs in every window seat. . . .
Seasonally. . .the boxes of Christmas Decor. . . or the boxes of Halloween Decor.
And Artwork collected by a father and 3 brothers and many grandchildren.

And I'm not allowed to display a single knife.
"Auuugh . .WHAT's THAT. . .it's U-G-L-Y. . .do you HAVE to leave that weapon laying there ?

"it's my 1930's flatguard semi-wasp letter opener, it's not ugly" . . . .
Now that half dead Christmas Cactus. . .now THAT's Ugly. . . .
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Panzerfaust
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by Panzerfaust »

Prices were going down the last time I was actively collecting, 2010-2016. When I have looked recently, I have not seen as many picklocks for sale on the web as they once were so I think I got in and got out during a good time frame for buying. Maybe I should look at selling a few but the problem I have is deciding which ones would go.
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JimBrown257
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by JimBrown257 »

If you go to any Youtube video about switchblades you see tons of comments, like half of them, about how people always wished they could find a knife like that but don't know how to get one.
galvanic1882
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by galvanic1882 »

Panzerfaust wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 12:33 am Prices were going down the last time I was actively collecting, 2010-2016. When I have looked recently, I have not seen as many picklocks for sale on the web as they once were so I think I got in and got out during a good time frame for buying. Maybe I should look at selling a few but the problem I have is deciding which ones would go.
I can help you decide, offer the little ones to me!

Up or down price wise collecting them is for pleasure in my opinion. I have been buying, selling, trading and collecting knives a long time and older Italian picklocks seem to keep their value the best, IMO

Mike
button_man
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by button_man »

Many collectible items tanked in the 1990s and have never recovered. Just look at some of the "comparison" episodes of 'Antiques Roadshow' where they compare a value given years ago to a current value. Some stuff has gone up but a lot more has gone down. A lot of it is simply the changing tastes of
newer generations -- young people now will pay jaw-dropping sums of money for early video games, but could not care less about an antique sideboard or
a hooked rug or a 1962 "Life" magazine with Marilyn Monroe on the cover.

The problem with Hummel figurines, Beanie Babies, and kitsch from The Bradford Mint is that they are "manufactured collectibles". It's safe to say that 99.9999999% of these will never be worth the purchase price. People want items that have a genuine connection to a place and time in their lives and in history; not a fake, pre-fab "collectors item".

Vintage switchblades have an enduring presence in the public consciousness due to countless classic films, that can never be duplicated by more modern knives. It's true that some contemporary stuff is very well-made (and quite pricey) but the newer stuff also has that certain aspect of self-awareness..... limited editions, serial numbers, exotic materials, etc. Some of these knives will increase in value, to be sure; but almost all of them are sold to folks who plan on keeping them carefully preserved in collections. You're not going to see any big attrition rate; and there are lots of them out there.
None of us is sitting around and wringing his hands because modern collectible switchblades are fiendishly difficult to find.

Contrast this with the older stuff. In the 1950s, nobody ever dreamed that pocket knives (and a lot of other things!) would ever be regarded as valuable Collectors Items; if you had suggested it, people would have thought that you were nuts. Switchblades that we gaze at wistfully in old movies were sold for a few dollars, carried carelessly, used and abused, lost, swiped, damaged, destroyed, and nobody cared. These are the iconic knives that exist in ever-diminishing numbers, while their place in mid-century American culture gains traction and more people keep chasing fewer knives.

As long as you buy at a decent price I believe that you will be pretty safe with a Latama or Omega or ROMO that is in good condition. Prices for ultra-rare knives selling for huge prices may fluctuate; but I believe that a solid, unpretentious, basic switchblade from the 1950s or earlier will hold or increase its value in the years to come.
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bigfatross
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Re: A Question About Collecting Vintage Switchblades

Post by bigfatross »

jerryk25 wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 10:21 pm And I'm not allowed to display a single knife.
"Auuugh . .WHAT's THAT. . .it's U-G-L-Y. . .do you HAVE to leave that weapon laying there ?
Ha LOL! I have heard that before! All of my treasures (my wife call's it $hit) are ether down stairs, in the basement or in the garage.
I don't mind, I love my Wife she is a lot of fun! Years ago I learned "HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE"

Some times, in the instance of switch blade's being displayed in the living room might not be good idea.
Case in point, years ago my Brothers Wife called the cops thinking someone broke into the garage while my Brother was out of town. The Cop's walked in the house to enter the garage.Turns out some Raccoon's found there way into the garage looking for eats. They opened the over head door and out the Raccoon went. As the Cop's walked out of the house, one of them saw a OTF from Mexico that I gave to my brother sitting on the counter. He told my Sister in law that they were illegal and that he would have to take it but would not "charger" Her for anything. She was just glad that there were no intruders and She did not get charged for having something illegal. I'm sure the knife made it into weapons bin down at the station ;0). Could you imagine if a whole collection was being displayed, what might have happened. Note this was about 17 years ago before the change in the S.B. laws.
button_man wrote: Fri Aug 20, 2021 4:12 pm Many collectible items tanked in the 1990s and have never recovered. Just look at some of the "comparison" episodes of 'Antiques Roadshow' where they compare a value given years ago to a current value. Some stuff has gone up but a lot more has gone down. A lot of it is simply the changing tastes of
newer generations -- young people now will pay jaw-dropping sums of money for early video games, but could not care less about an antique sideboard or
a hooked rug or a 1962 "Life" magazine with Marilyn Monroe on the cover.
big_slim wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 4:31 pm It's really hard to say what will happen to the future value of anything. If I were looking at things from an investment standpoint, I'd invest in land, oxygen, and water.
I agree I just buy thing's I like. If I decided to sell it and I get more for what I paid for it, GREAT. Some people are into "FLIPPING" things.Nothing wrong with that....but sometimes you are stuck with / or take a loss on something you just don't like!
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