Outstanding Single-Owner Collection of Edged Weapons, Armor and Militaria is the Entire Focus of Morphy's February 25 Fine Knives Auction

Auction highlights: Circa-1920-1940 'Case tested XX' 6391 Anglo-Saxon split-back spring whittler; early 1990s Chris Reeve South Africa field survivor Pre-Project 1 pommel knife

DENVER, Pa., Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- An outstanding single-owner collection of edged weapons, armor and militaria will be the focus of Morphy's Fine Knives: A Quality Lifetime Collection auction planned for Wednesday, February 25, 2026. The auction is packed with 956 lots, all from one collector.

"I became interested in knives at about age seven, when my father gave me a Case XX 6318 rough black composition stockman knife," said the collector, who lives in Pennsylvania but has requested anonymity.  "My mother didn't want me to have the knife, as she thought I would cut myself. Well, knives are tools and made for cutting. I really liked that knife but lost it at some point over the years."

The consignor was a regular at knife and gun shows across the country, as well as at antique shows, flea markets and auctions. "I got to know all the knife collectors and dealers like Tony Foster – the Case knife king – Jim Parker, Jim Sargent and many more," he said, adding, "All of them have since passed on."

Now that he's older and approaching retirement, he's decided to part ways with his 50-year assemblage. "I hope it will bless my family and others," he said. "It's time for others to enjoy these fine pieces of history."

A circa-1920-1940 "Case tested XX 6391" Anglo-Saxon split-back spring whittler with green bone handles has a pre-sale estimate of $4,000-$8,000. The extremely rare knife has a closed length of 4½ inches, and all blades open and close with a snap. The regular-pull main blade is tang-stamped "CASE Tested XX" with a long tail "C" on the reverse. Features include nickel-silver bolsters and brass liners.

A hard-to-find early 1990s Chris Reeve South Africa field survivor Pre-Project 1 Pachmayer integral hex head pommel knife is expected to change hands for $2,500-$7,500. The knife is #10 of approximately 90 made; after that, the model became the Project 1. The blade is marked "Pachmayer CR 10 Made in South Africa" on the obverse and "NOEL" on the reverse. It's made from billet A2 steel and comes with the original Chris Reeve silent-snap sheath.

A scarce circa-1920s Hibbard Spencer Bartlett etched lever-lock stag-handle switchblade should fetch $2,000-$5,000. The blade is tang-stamped "Hibbard Spencer Bartlett" on the obverse and fully etched "Our Very Best" on the obverse blade flat. The blade tip sits below the handle and centered when closed.

A custom-made Al Dippold Damascus switchblade liner lock with 18K gold inlay panels carries an estimate of $2,000-$4,000. This is the 12th switchblade knife Al Dippold made in 1999 for a jeweler in Pennsylvania. The inspiration for the design came to Al when he was sitting in church with his father and saw a stained-glass cathedral window, hence the cathedral window and vine pattern. Al made approximately 25-30 automatic knives in total.

Morphy's Fine Knives: A Quality Lifetime Collection auction will be held on February 25 live at their gallery located at 2000 North Reading Road in Denver, Pa. Start time is 9am Eastern time. Preview weekdays by appointment from 9am-4pm local time starting one week before the auction; or on auction days from 8-9am. All forms of remote bidding are available, including absentee, by phone (please reserve line in advance), or live via the Internet through Morphy Live. For condition reports or other questions, call tollfree 877-968-8880 or email [email protected]. Online: https://www.morphyauctions.com.

SOURCE Morphy Auctions