Franklin Mint Bucks?

Plumberdv

Plumberdv

Joined
Sep 26, 2008
Messages
8,160
This is a new one on me and I would like to know if Buck ever did a 110 (or any other pattern) for the Franklin Mint Collector Series.

I've seen one with a gold etched blade with a banner, spread winged eagle on a stars and stripes shield, checkered handles and engraved bolsters. The blade etch says "The Duke" on the banner. The etch itself seems way below the standards of any other Buck's gold etch I have or have seen. The knife is supposed to be a John Wayne commemorative, but there's nothing on the knife itself but "The Duke" on the banner. The case it comes in has a replica of John Wayne's signature on the lining. On the "back" side of the knife handle, there's a small round shield inlet in it that says "Franklin Mint Collector Series". The date stamp is from 1997.

I can't find anything about it in the special projects list, so I was wondering if all the embellishments were done after market? I have a plain 1998 110 with the exact same blade etch. I always assumed that "The Duke" on the blade referred to John Wayne, but then, if that etch was on a 500 I wouldn't have given it a second thought.
 
Actually, now I see that the knife has an oval yellow shield inlet in the "front" side that may contain the same signature as the liner.
 
Hi Dave,

This knife is listed in the LE list. It's a 1997 issue made for FM. It has scales that are pressed just like th master series knives. The knife looks much better in hand than in photo's. Sorry for these poor photo's, they were taken befor I got a better lens;).
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jb4570
 
JB, nice knife... There is one on the bay I'm looking at... Don't you have a 124 made by FM???? ITE
 
The picture is great jb, and thanks for the information. Somehow I never thought of the Franklin Mint having commemorative knives of any quality. I ordered one for a friend that was an Indian Motorcycle commemorative and it was junk.

Do you know of any other Bucks that they used as a basis, and where did you find the LE list?
 
Plumberdv said:
The picture is great jb, and thanks for the information. Somehow I never thought of the Franklin Mint having commemorative knives of any quality. I ordered one for a friend that was an Indian Motorcycle commemorative and it was junk.

Do you know of any other Bucks that they used as a basis, and where did you find the LE list?
Click to expand...

Dave, I also am not a fan of FM knives as most are junk. However, they have commissioned some nice knives from good company's like Buck from time to time. The Duke 110 in the photo's was on the GB auction site for over a year with no bidders....it had some poor shots in the auction. I'm a fan of the late "Duke", so I pulled the trigger and was very happy with the knife. I did not like the looks of the Master Series pressed handles, until i had this one in hand and the brown color is much better than the green that is on the MS knives, IMHO.

The LE list is on the BCCI web site. I printed a copy and keep it at hand as a nice reference...old school paper is better for this old man than PC scrolling! To each his own;).

This is the only other FM Buck I know of. It's the 902 Bowie, it looks like a longer version of the 124 with a brass deerhead door knocker hand guard....LOL.
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jb4570
 
Wow, jb. That's sure different. Thanks for all the info. Now I'm off to the BCCI site to find the LE list. I don't know how I missed it there.
 
Plumberdv said:
Wow, jb. That's sure different. Thanks for all the info. Now I'm off to the BCCI site to find the LE list. I don't know how I missed it there.
Click to expand...

Dave,

Go to the model history page and scroll all the way to the bottom! Have fun....wonderful info and worth the price of the club dues all by itself. It could use the last few years of LE's added...hint....hint...hint;).
jb4570
 
JB,

I like you printed a copy of the LE list and keep it handy for reference. I use a highliter to hightlite the kinives on the list that i have acquired. Glad to see someone got that JW knife off GB. I considered grabbing it but never pulled the trigger. Nice knife. Wish i had added it to my collection.
 
A Franklin Mint Buck somehow sounds like a Yugo Ferrari.

This is an unnatural union and remindful of some Old Testament sin like fraternizing with a goat.
 
jb4570 said:
Dave,

Go to the model history page and scroll all the way to the bottom! Have fun....wonderful info and worth the price of the club dues all by itself. It could use the last few years of LE's added...hint....hint...hint;).
jb4570
Click to expand...

Well, Duhhh. It seems that I had only downloaded one of the lists and I was also looking for one titled LE's. :o

I found what I "think" may be the one I have with only the special "The Duke" blade. In '98 there's a listing for a 110FM made for Franklin Mint but it gives no info on it other than that.

It seems an unlikely collaboration, Buck and Franklin Mint, and one that I was surprised to see. But what the heck, it's a 110 and it's a Buck. At least the Mint has a couple of REAL collectables!
 
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A Franklin Mint Buck sounds like a Yugo Ferrari.

This is an unnatural union and remindful of some Old Testament sin like fraternizing with a goat.
 
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