damcon3 Posted December 26, 2012 Share #1 Posted December 26, 2012 I got this theater knife a couple years ago at a gun show. I finally got around to researching the name on the blade, William F Clifford, and found out he was a paratrooper with 501 pir company D. He was killed in action 1/3/1945 in Belgium. This knife is amazing quality. He was one talented knife maker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damcon3 Posted December 26, 2012 Author Share #2 Posted December 26, 2012 It is hard to see but the name and service number ae engraved in the blade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted January 1, 2013 Share #3 Posted January 1, 2013 Thats amazing, you should contact marc bando over at his website and forum triggertime, he might have more info on him and maybe even a picture!....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagger1978 Posted January 26, 2013 Share #4 Posted January 26, 2013 does anyone know what knives like this are valued? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted January 26, 2013 Share #5 Posted January 26, 2013 does anyone know what knives like this are valued? It's impossible to say these knives are worth this much. It is worth what someone is willing to pay for it and what damcon3 is willing to let it go for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sactroop Posted January 26, 2013 Share #6 Posted January 26, 2013 We do tend to say; “Don’t buy the story buy the knife”. However IMHO the potential value of this knife will be most closely tied to what information you can collect on William F. Clifford and presented as a group. You mentioned that, “He was one talented knife maker.” Does that mean that you have reasons to believe that he was the one that made this knife? Official records of his service, pictures (especially in the ETO), basically whatever provenance you can attach to this knife will make it more desirable to collectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damcon3 Posted January 26, 2013 Author Share #7 Posted January 26, 2013 I am not interested in selling period, but who engraves someone else's name and serial number on their knife? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunbarrel Posted January 27, 2013 Share #8 Posted January 27, 2013 I am not interested in selling period, but who engraves someone else's name and serial number on their knife? I'll have to agree with both of those statements, but it would be nice and make it more valuable (whatever value that may be) if you could establish provenance. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militariaone Posted January 27, 2013 Share #9 Posted January 27, 2013 I am not interested in selling period, but who engraves someone else's name and serial number on their knife? Greetings damcon3 as to the second part of your statement, plenty of knives (theater made or otherwise) have been engraved with their owners’ names on them. Just because a name is on it doesn’t necessarily mean the Soldier (In this case) named actually made the knife (Duh?). If you wish to believe he made it that’s fine, but it’s more likely than not he didn’t. Soldiers then as now have a penchant for marking their own kit. Some time it’s on the cheap like a service number (Then) or the last four of your SSN (Now) scratched, ink stamped, stenciled, or an especially prized/expensive item could be engraved. My guess is he bought it from whoever made it and personalized it with his info so that it didn’t "walk away", or it would (Possibly) find its way back if he misplaced it. dagger1978, as to the value get some “Airborne Gotta Have it collector” interested with the right NARA paperwork (Provenance) and the sky’s the limit. Without it, somewhere between $150.00 to $350.00 would be my guess. There's always someone with deeper pockets out there, so of course they may pay more...me not so much. Either case, it looks to be a neat well-made knife and thank you for sharing it with all of us. Regards, Lance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted January 27, 2013 Share #10 Posted January 27, 2013 Also not uncommon to have such knives made at home and sent to the soldier,sailor,marine or airman by a family member neighbor etc.Granted many were made or modified aboard ship or shore by men with a lot of time on their hands but many or more were made in garages and factories as well.I know one vet whos father sent him one that was made in a factory on break time by one of the machinists.The man made five knives and gave them to co-workers who all had sons overseas.THe story goes all 5 knives that were made and given out also came home as all the boys who got them survived the war. We had a area man making knives here out of files and old saw blades.He would send thm to local men and also had some marketed and sold through a local hardware/sporting goods store.To me the term "Theatre made "is often over used to describe these knives as many were made right here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
militariaone Posted February 18, 2013 Share #11 Posted February 18, 2013 I am not interested in selling period, but who engraves someone else's name and serial number on their knife? This knife is now on eBay, item #140918723898 I guess it is for sale PERIOD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damcon3 Posted February 18, 2013 Author Share #12 Posted February 18, 2013 Yes, things got tight with third kid on the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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