NYCKS: Knives from the photo studio

[SharpByCoop]

We had a good show. Ron was a frequent visitor, and he always dragged in (drugged in?) good-standing friends, members, makers and parolees. Photos from the studio tell the big story.


Let's begin....








'Lightning strike' Q-36's in polished and damascus.



I DID fill up my time shooting work that would have come to me in my studio. Here are a few of the most worthy examples:


Ed Wormser parted with another of his Kressler/Fabbri knives, engraved by Firmo Fracassi. Just... WOW!



You don't see work from Jose DeBraga often. His venerable 'Star Wars' folder.



And the same can be said for Willie Rigney.



Drumroll please......


An early Robert W. Loveless fighter in brass and black Micarta. Simply spectacular. I'm told there were only four of this pattern ever made.



So far, so good.


Coop

[SharpByCoop]

Laurent Doussot: I have loved Laurent's work for years. He hails from Canada and has a great sense of design and fitment. This year he brought along one of his two boys to me in the studio. I spent extra time showing 14-yr-old Felix how I created these shots and the lighting aspects. It was a pleasure having them there.


I really, REALLY, like this knife. (Devin Thomas herringbone steel)



This one was delivered to my long time friend and collector Jerry Oksman. He also hired me for the photo! He uses all his customs, and this was already getting a workover. Check out Laurent's reversible clip.



Butch Harner: I told you he had some great folding razors (is that redundant?), and they took me by surprise at how clean and well-made they were. See for yourself:



Jay Hendrickson: Nancy and Jay are two of the finest people on the planet. And that's not an exaggeration, as all of these knives are heading over to China due to the respect he has earned worldwide.


This first one is a partial tribute to Jim Bowie's knife.









Shawn Knowles: He brought me this tidy little utility and it's absolutely on the money. The last knife I showed of his was a Randall-type bowie, and had a fine hand-rubbed finish. Looks like he can do it all.



Kevin Lesswing: I love to see a new maker step up and begin the correct process of self-promotion and archiving his work. I found his polish and hamon worthy of displaying, and I saw a bit of DH3 in the lines of the small utility. That's a good thing.








More.....

[SharpByCoop]

Jason Knight + Paul Long = BIG smiles!





I mentioned Chicci Yoneyama earlier in the thread. ^^^ HE makes the very fine music, too!



Speaking of Top 40 replays: This one was, I think, Kyle Royer's first MS knife after Blade. It's been shown before, but not through my lens. A compelling knife by every measure.



Look closer at Kyle's sheath: That's a 3/8" spine of alligator protruding out of the inlay. WHOA!


I have a few left, and I'll get to them soon. Saving the Antique knives for last.


Coop

[SharpByCoop]

I'll close this Show with a crescendo showing...


Darrel Ralph brought this folder with an incredible Chad Nichols SS damascus blade and 'Moku-Ti' titanium damascus scales, all machined and carved in 3-D.



Smashing!












A few years ago I displayed this fifties-era Loveless hunter with stacked leather handles and a worn patina on the blade. It garnished a lot of OOH'S and AHH'S, as it was a foundation for an Empire. This knife was owned and displayed by dealer Art Green (NCCA Board member).
http://www.fototime.com/1DCBEFDC3870DD4/orig.jpg


I stopped by Art's showcase this year and he had a project we felt needed showcasing and preserving visually.


This year (?) he had traveled to London with Tommy(?) from Blue Ridge Cutlery, and they were looking to purchase a collection of 400 knives. Art purchased the two I am showing below and a couple of other 'Horseman's' knives. (He tells me he loaned a couple to C. Gray Taylor for his inspection, and Gray created a custom version which is displayed proudly in DDD's AKI thread, and also helped him win the Buster Warenski Award) Tommy from BRC bought the bulk of the collection.


The hallmark on the silver fruit blade reveals the age of the silver, and he tells me it dates to 1803. He would know, and I believe him.


Yes, I said it was made in 1803!


Here it is with it's presentation case



Both sides



Look at this closely: That looks like fileworked liners, but it's really MORE blades.



The other side shows how clever the maker fitted the implements. Also those J-tools encase little storage compartments, where out pours a myriad of extra tools and scissors. :eek:



In ALL it's glory.



Art Green also brought me another specialty knife from Asprey of London. This one probably dates from the turn of the 20th Century (1900's).


There are counters for different amounts of fowl: Pheasants, Partridges, Grouse, Other, etc. Also are small numbered markers to designate each hunter's position. (?) (I'm not sure, and I've asked Art to help fill me in. My memory is failing me in his description.)





You can see those are shell-pulling tools for the different gauge shotguns.



I told Art these were among the highlights of MY show. It's hard to not honor the past brilliant makers, when you see so much brilliance in the present.


I appreciate all your views and comments. As I do with any show I work at, I make it a point to showcase the client's knives.


Thank you.


Jim and Susan

[TPetsch]

Awesome pictures, thanks for sharing.

That Robert W. Loveless fighter in brass and black Micarta is just like you say, "Simply spectacular." ...Wish I could own a piece like that.

[Tinysd]

I could look at your photos all day long. Great knives and shots!!

[JMCNEES]

Great shots of some great knives!

[THEONEANDONLY]

LOVED those "multi tools" especially that horseman's one,

[Shawn Knowles]

Excellent pics of some outstanding knives! Those RJ's are awsome and the engraving on that Kressler is sick!

Great meeting you in person Coop! And thanks for the awsome photo.


Shawn

[griff]

Great Photos!

Excellent pics of some outstanding knives! Those RJ's are awsome and the engraving on that Kressler is sick!

Great meeting you in person Coop! And thanks for the awsome photo.


Shawn

[EOD13]

The photos still don't do that gunhammer justice... Darrel's work is just plain awesome

[Buffalohump]

Mindblowing stuff!!

[Obijuan Kenobe]

Some of the best photos I have seen yet on JD.

The last few are simply unbelievable. The old multitools are just stunning. They really are pure museum pieces. Yikes.

Thanks for posting these!!

obi