Schrade Federal Duck Stamp Issue Research

[Codger_64]

As often happens, I was looking for information about a knife in my collection and found much more than I had expected. So I am sharing the results here. Hopefully it will help another collector in some way.

In the mid 1980's Schrade began producing a series of knives in carved laser engraved walnut presentation boxes themed with that year's Federal Migratory Bird Stamp. Beside the box, which bore a lasered copy of that year's stamp artwork, the sets included a bronze copy of that years stamp issue and a small color art print of the stamp inside the hinged lid.
The knives were production patterns with embellishment such as special handle materials, coined antiqued shields and blade etches. Often they bore custom tang stamps noting their limited edition status.
The knife and bronze stamp replica were fitted into a felted vacuum formed tray in the box bottom half. This made for a very secure and visually pleasing presentation. As these were presentation knives, sheaths were not included with the knives.
The display sets were relatively expensive, so it is doubtful that the projected production quantities were realized. For example, the dealer price of the DS15 was $75 with the MSRP of $150. A portion of the proceeds from sales was donated to wetlands conservation funds.
For the collector, a complete set would consist of 21 pieces, possibly more if more clampack issues surface.

(Continued)

 

[Codger_64]

1984 - 1985 - Fleetwood/National Wildlife Galleries - Duck Stamp 50th Anniversary Commemorative (for Sears?). A two blade trapper pattern with blade etch, wood handle and coined shield, 1,500 to be produced. The knife and bronze stamp reproduction were presented in a wooden picture frame. The stamp subject waterfowl (1934) was mallards.

1987 - 1988 DS01 is the first issue I have found. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC87-71 which describes the knife features. A two blade trapper pattern with etched stainless blades, ebony handle and coined shield, 6,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box is two piece with laser engraved lift off lid and olive green tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was redhead ducks.

1988 - 1989 is the second issue, numbered DS02. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC88-75 which describes the knife features. A two blade trapper pattern with etched stainless clip blade and bird guthook blade, goncalo alvez wood handle and coined shield, 6,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box is two piece with lift off laser engraved lid and black felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was snow goose.

1989 - 1990 is the third issue, numbered DS03. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC89-75 which describes the knife features. A 3-3/4" lockback pattern with etched stainless clip blade, goncalo alvez wood handle and coined shield, 6,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box is two piece with lift off laser engraved lid and black felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was lesser scaup.

1990 - 1991 is the fourth issue, numbered DS04. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC90-003 which describes the knife features. A 4" muskrat pattern with etched stainless clip blade and locking custom guthook blade, goncalo alvez wood handle and coined shield, 6,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box is two piece with hinged laser engraved lid and dark green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was black bellied whistling duck.

1991 - 1992 is the fifth issue, numbered DS05. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC91-011 which describes the knife features. A 9-3/8" 160OT fixed blade pattern with etched stainless trailing point blade, winewood wood handle and coined shield, 6,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box is dovetail jointed with hinged lid and dark green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was king eiders.

1992 - 1993 is the sixth issue, numbered DS06. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC91-011 which describes the knife features. A 5-1/4" folding hunter single blade pattern with etched stainless clip blade, nickle silver bolsters, winewood wood handle and coined shield, 6,000 pieces to be produced. The oak box with hinged lid and dark green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was specticled eiders.

1993 - 1994 is the seventh issue, numbered DS07. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC93-028 which describes the knife features. A 4" stockman three blade pattern with etched stainless blades, nickle silver bolsters, winewood wood handle and coined shield, 6,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged lid and dark green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was canvasbacks.

1994 - 1995 is the eighth issue, numbered DS08. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC94-049 which describes the knife features. A 4" jackknife two blade pattern with etched stainless blades, nickle silver bolsters, winewood wood handle and coined shield, 3,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged lid and dark green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was red breasted merganser. MSRP unk.

1995 - 1996 is the ninth issue, numbered DS09. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC95-062 which describes the knife features. A 4" lockback pattern with etched stainless blade, nickle silver bolsters, golden brown fibron wood handle and coined shield, 4,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged lid and medium green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was cinnamon teal. MSRP $125

1996 - 1997 is the tenth issue, numbered DS10. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC96-LA12 which describes the knife features. A 4" muskrat pattern with etched stainless blade, fowl guthook blade, nickle silver bolsters, goncalo alvez wood handle and coined shield, 4,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged lid and medium green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was surf scoters. MSRP $125

DS10LTD - A second variant of the DS10 was sold with upscale features with a painted duck decoy display stand. The blade etch was given 24k gold accents, the handle was burnt stag, 500 pieces to be produced. MSRP $400

1997 - 1998 is the eleventh issue, numbered DS11. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC96-LA12 which describes the knife features. A 7-7/16" fixed blade pattern (164UH) with etched stainless blade, nickle silver bolsters, goncalo alvez wood handle and coined shield, 4,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged lid and medium green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was Canada goose.

1998 - 1999 is the twelveth issue, numbered DS12. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC98-108 which describes the knife features. A three blade stockman pattern with awl, etched stainless blade, nickle silver bolsters, goncalo alvez wood handle and coined shield, 4,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged laser engraved lid and dark green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was Barrow's goldeneye. MSRP $130

1999 - 2000 is the thirteenth issue, numbered DS13. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC99 which describes the knife features. A 7-5/8" fixed blade trout knife pattern, etched stainless blade, nickle silver bolster, goncalo alvez wood handle and coined shield, 4,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged laser engraved lid and dark green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was greater scaup. MSRP $130

2000 - 2001 is the fourteenth issue, numbered DS14. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC00-CP163 which describes the knife features. A two blade trapper pattern with etched stainless clip blade and saw blade, nickle silver bolster, goncalo alvez wood handle and coined shield, 4,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged laser engraved lid and dark green felted tray. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was mottled duck. MSRP $140

2001 - 2002 is the fifteenth issue, numbered DS15. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC01-CP176 which describes the knife features. A fixed blade 152 pattern with etched stainless clip blade, green pick-bone handle and coined shield, 4,000 pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged laser engraved lid and dark green felted tray included a bronxe stamp replica money clip. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was northern pintail. Varieants of this issue are found with tan or burnt white bone stagged handles usually orphaned without box.

2002 - 2003 is the sixteenth issue, numbered DS16. It is presented in Schrade flyer SC02 which describes the knife features. A two blade trapper pattern with etched stainless clip blade serrated secondary blade, red smooth bone handle and coined shield, unknown pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged laser engraved lid and dark green felted tray included a bronxe stamp replica money clip. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was black scoter.

2003 - 2004 is the seventeenth issue, numbered DS17. It is presented in Schrade catalog as a vague line drawing which describes the knife features. A three blade premiuum (slim) stockman pattern with etched stainless clip blade serrated secondary blade, crimson birch wood handle and coined shield, unknown pieces to be produced. The walnut box with hinged laser engraved lid and dark felted tray included a bronze stamp replica money clip. The stamp subject waterfowl of the year was snow goose. MSRP $150

As Schrade closed in July of 2004, no Federal Duck Stamp issue was produced for the 2004-2005 waterfowl season.

However there had been at least three (possibly five or more) additional issues of commemoratives in clampacks for sales through the big retailers at a much lower pricepoint. All three seen were 3-7/8" single blade linerlock scrimshaw knives (194OT/SC503) with duck scenes on the handles and "Special Edition" blade etches.

1995 - 1996 DS1SC included an embroidered commemorative patch. MSRP $34.95
1996 - 1997 none
1997 - 1998 none
1998 - 1999 DS2SC included a black presentation box with burgundy felted tray. As with the DS12 issue of the same year, the waterfowl subject was the Barrow's goldeneye. MSRP unk.
1999 - 2000 - DS3SC contained no bonus items that I can determine. The waterfowl subject of the year was greater scaup. MSRP unk.

 

[Codger_64]

This is the one that started me on this quest, the DS15 described above. I had passed on one when they were issued because of the high price tag. I got this one at a substantial discount.



A little better view of the walnut box lid lasered art.



I then found one with a different handle material, golden stag jigged bone.


A better picture of the bronze Duck Stamp money clip.

 

[Codger_64]

This is the anniversary issue I mentioned. (1984 - 1985 - Fleetwood/National Wildlife Galleries - Duck Stamp 50th Anniversary Commemorative (for Sears?) Not much found on it yet.



Images of the three clampacked Scrimshaw issues found so far.

 

[.577NE]

Thank you very much, Codger_64 , I enjoyed your posts above immensely.

 

[Codger_64]

Thank you very much, Codger_64 , I enjoyed your posts above immensely.

You're welcome. Hopefully some of this information will be helpful to a collector down the line.

I doubt that many will want to lay out the money to buy the entire series, even at reduced secondary market prices. But the chances are high of finding orphaned knives from these issues both unfinished and finished without the box etc. So maybe it would help with identification.