Lets see historical Scottish weaponing...........

[jmercier]

On the contrary, in the world of custom knife collecting purchasing a blade from one of the renowned masters of the craft is seldom a poor investment. I dont think anyone who's spent that much for a Bill Moran or Howard Hitchmough or Bob Loveless or Don Fogg has ever regretted it. These aren't production pieces or machine made replicas or anything, they're pieces of artwork and Jake Powning is one of the best.

Yes, Caveat Emptor just as with anything, if you don't know what you're buying, then you can get burned. But if you do, then something made yesterday can be just as good if not a better investment than something made a thousand years ago.

[Strings]

On the contrary, in the world of custom knife collecting purchasing a blade from one of the renowned masters of the craft is seldom a poor investment. I dont think anyone who's spent that much for a Bill Moran or Howard Hitchmough or Bob Loveless or Don Fogg has ever regretted it. These aren't production pieces or machine made replicas or anything, they're pieces of artwork and Jake Powning is one of the best.

*sigh*

Not talking about whether or not someone would regret purchasing one of their pieces, but how well they might hold their value. Especially long term.

The uber high-end knife and sword* market if still fairly young. Add in how some countries are putting restrictions against blades now**, and that market might not have a chance to grow.

Again: not questioning if the craftsmanship is worth it. Just the idea of it as an investment.



*- talking about the "fun blade" thing here.

**- I NEVER thought I would see the day I saw free countries actually put restrictions on blades, beyond "you can't carry it around ready for use". Boggles my mind.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Hmm... interesting word, investment. It implies making a purchase which, in the future, can be liquidated for profit, not loss. While not denigrating the skills of some custom bladesmiths, I would suggest that as an artifact purchased as an investment an antique sword or dagger (or gun, for that matter) will always out perform a similar artifact made "yesterday". It is in the nature of collecting (and in fact at its very core) that preservation of "old" always equates with desirable.

One of the reasons a "new" custom knife costs more today than it did say twenty years ago, is that everything now cost more. That being the case, much of the collectible value of the "new" artifact is in the cost of it's manufacture, thus (from a collectors point of view) artificially raising the value of the artifact to a point above its intrinsic (collectible) value. An antique, on the other hand, is not something that can readily be duplicated. The man (or factory) that made it has long since turned to dust, thus its value is based not on what it cost to make, but rather on the desire of an individual who wishes to possess it.

To most folks $8,000 is a lot of money to spend on a sword. Now you could spend that on a sword made by Jake Powning or on a good example of a pre-1750 Scottish broadsword. If, in two years time, you were to take either sword to one of the big auction houses to sell, the odds are the bidders in the room would favour the old sword (which is real) over the one made yesterday. In other words you might make money on the old sword, and you would probably loose money on the new sword.

Loosing money isn't part of the definition of an investment.

All things being equal, no artifact (new or old) is really a good investment as they are subject to all sorts of market pressures, fashion, and the whims of collectors (to say nothing of possible legislation). When buying a sword, or dirk, or sgian dubh, the only consideration should be:

Is it worth the asking price to you? Buy it like you intend to keep it forever, and don't kid yourself (or your wife) that it is any sort of an investment.

[beloitpiper]

...which is why I'm really glad I bought mine for $20!

[JRB]

Well all I can say about collectible value is that I have sold a few of my modern make swords over the years and never lost money. The modern sword market is not the same as the antique sword market (though they probably intersect at some point). Modern swords from well known sought after smiths can and do hold their value or increase in value. Ask any knife collector. It's a smaller market to be sure and may take longer to sell a piece, but modern swords can be collectible. That being said, they are by no means investments. I own swords because I enjoy owning them. If I wanted to make money I'd do it some other way.

[Strings]

That's the best attitude to have.

I've seen WAY too many things bought "as investments" (guns, comics, toys, cars) that just make me want to giggle at the purchasers. Especially those that don't understand how the market works...

Look at one of the buyers guides (toys, comics and guns). Look at the price listed. Deduct 40-50%, if you plan on selling to a dealer or store. That's the best you'll get. Assuming said dealer or store is willing to buy...

Private sale, or auction? Dice roll... you may get lucky, you may not.

I have a few items around here that MAY yield a profit if sold: couple of guns, one blade, and a couple instruments. Not why I bought them, but they MIGHT give a profit...

The more niche the market, the worse your odds.

[Lachlan09]

Are Andrea Ferrera blades still made today ?

One type of sword made today which definitely would be an investment, an instant classic, would be a Japanese shinsakuto katana, made by a master craftsman in the traditional way. Right from the lengthy process of smelting of those precious nuggets into tamahagane and nabe-gane steel in a special tatara clay furnace and the Shinto priest’s blessings, to merging the hard and soft steels and forging the various layers, painting the edge in a clay coating and quenching to leave the distinct wavy hamon on the hardened edge and getting that curve. Weeks of polishing and sharpening, then mounting in an exquisite tsuka handle, menuki ornaments, habaki lock and tsuba guard and saya/jindachi-zukuri scabbard.

Many thousands of dollars and well beyond my price range !!

I can only afford the cheap stainless steel copies from e-bay !

[Woodsheal]

Are Andrea Ferrera blades still made today ?

One type of sword made today which definitely would be an investment, an instant classic, would be a Japanese shinsakuto katana, made by a master craftsman in the traditional way. Right from the lengthy process of smelting of those precious nuggets into tamahagane and nabe-gane steel in a special tatara clay furnace and the Shinto priest’s blessings, to merging the hard and soft steels and forging the various layers, painting the edge in a clay coating and quenching to leave the distinct wavy hamon on the hardened edge and getting that curve. Weeks of polishing and sharpening, then mounting in an exquisite tsuka handle, menuki ornaments, habaki lock and tsuba guard and saya/jindachi-zukuri scabbard.

Many thousands of dollars and well beyond my price range !!

I can only afford the cheap stainless steel copies from e-bay !

Seems like I've read that such swords are not allowed to be sold outside of Japan, as they are considered national treasures or some such.

Anyways, if I had multiple thousands of dollars to spend on a sword, it would definitely be an original, historic piece. I have spent in the $700-$1500 range for reproduction blades and guns from well-regarded modern makers, and they'll hold their value no problem, but to spend beyond that I'd be looking at antiques...!

[Strings]

Modern reproductions of Japanese blades, made in the traditional manner, ARE available, and fetch fairly high prices. However, there's a fairly wide following of Japanese blades and their use.

Not as much with their European counterparts.

[JRB]

Are Andrea Ferrera blades still made today ?

No, true Andrea Ferrera blades are no longer made but there are indeed several smiths (such as Vince Evans) who engrave the Andrea Ferrera name into their blades to give them a historic look.