Not leverguns at all. Need some advice

[jnyork]

Time to thin the herd.

My older brother, a US Navy sailor, served aboard the USS Teak, a sub net laying ship, later converted to salvage operation, he was a "plank owner" and aboard for the entire Pacific War. Immediately after Manila fell, his ship was assigned to salvage duties in Manila Bay, where he remained until after the Japanese surrender in 1945. He brought me back these knives and bayonets as souveniers when I was only 6 or 7 years old, I have owned them ever since. I am now to the point in my life when it is time for someone else to share the joy, so will be putting them on the block and need expert counseling as to whatever value they may have.

First picture is of some Filipino swords and a knife. I'm pretty sure the larger ones are more ceremonial than practical, but they are made of good steel and VERY SHARP. The wooden scabbards are made of a light wood, not balsa but I suspect maybe bamboo. The tip of one is broke off from when I took them to school for show-and-tell when I was maybe in the 4th grade or so. The little knife is very crude as is the scabbard, I remember my brother telling me every Filipino kid he ever saw had one of these on his belt.



Second picture is of some military bayonets and a knife. The knife is US Navy issue, he told me every sailor carried one of these for shipboard duties, I don't know if this was his but it came off that ship. It has the scabbard and is marked "USN MK2, B.M. Co." and "NORD 4733". The metal on the hilt is patina, otherwise this outfit is in good condition. The US bayonet is marked "SA (bomb emblem) 1918" and there is a serial number, US 975xxx. This outfit is also in good condition. The other two are English, (makes me wonder how they got to Manila) They are both marked Wilkins 1907 with some proof marks. The one leather scabbard has started to separate at the tip, the other is intact. Both show signs of hard use.


I hope there are some folks here that can help me with the possible values, I searched fleabay , no joy, googled around a little , still no joy.

Thanks.

[Blaine]

Those Bolo long knives in the top pic are fabulous....If you decide on a price, will you offer one to me? I might have to decline if they are expensive....

[jnyork]

Those Bolo long knives in the top pic are fabulous....If you decide on a price, will you offer one to me? I might have to decline if they are expensive....

If I can find out what they're worth, I'll take $5.00 off , just 'cause it's you, Blaine.

[Blaine]

Those Bolo long knives in the top pic are fabulous....If you decide on a price, will you offer one to me? I might have to decline if they are expensive....

If I can find out what they're worth, I'll take $5.00 off , just 'cause it's you, Blaine.

Ok, I won't charge you a storage fee.

[2ndovc]

I haven't a clue on the Native knives but they are very cool!

The British bayonets are running $80-100 around here. The Navy Mk2 I've seen up to $125 lately in excellent shape, $80+ for one that looks like it's had some use. Great knives, I've had one for many years.
The Garand bayonet with the markings on the scabbard should fetch $150 or so. Very cool! I'd be real interested in that one.

jb

[Malamute]

May be worth asking on http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/

The bayonets in particular may be of interest there, and they will likely be able to give more input on possible values.

[Sixgun]

I personally think your making a huge mistake.----6

[jnyork]

I personally think your making a huge mistake.----6

I'm 75 and nobody to leave them to. What would you do?

[horsesoldier03]

If you are still in the area that your family is from, some communities have small museums that would love to take them on loan or donation in memory of your brothers name. If you search for a forum for military memorabilia I am sure they will all bring top dollar.

[MrMurphy]

The Filipino blades, among collectors of Filipino martial arts weaponry (Escrima, etc) would probably bring some serious cash. They're not "pretty" but they're actual blades from a time most blades didn't survive this long into collections.

The M1 bayonet is actually an M1903/M1917 Enfield bayonet, the early M1's used the same 16" blade, later shortened to 10". If you've ever seen a pretty famous Pacific war photo of a guy near a light tank aiming an M1 Garand with a bayonet fixed, this is the same type.

The Wilkinson bayonets are the issued bayonet for an SMLE (Short Magazine Lee Enfield). How they got the Phillipines......well, the Brits owned a healthy chunk of the Pacific and fought alongside our guys, both British, Canadian and Australian troops used these bayonets (any units issuing the SMLE and not the newer No.4)....these bayonets are all over the world. Even Russia. SMLEs went everywhere.

I'd love the SMLE bayonet, I've been looking for one for quite a few years (I have an SMLE and a No.4, as well as a Mosin and a Mauser, etc picked up over the last 20 years) but as a young-ish (38) working cop with a family I'm already a couple thousand in the hole after fixing up my new house, so I'll have to pass. It's in excellent condition. The Australian Light Horse cavalry charge conducted against the Turks in WW1 in what is now I believe Israel, was conducted using those same bayonets as short swords (they don't call them sword bayonets for nothing.....).

The Mk2 and later Mk3 knives were basically "not the famous name" mass produced versions of the Ka-Bar. They were issued to nearly anyone who could justify a need for a knife. I've seen several that were used off Normandy in the various museums there by Navy crews as well as naval shore parties, and they were very common in all services for decades (I know several Vietnam veterans who had MK3's). Just like the USAF pilot survival knife got used by all branches for decades, the Mk 2 and 3 were good, solid not-fancy knives that got the job done.


www.milsurps.com has an excellent section just for military blades, they could tell you good values on most of these.

[TraderVic]

I brought back a bolo knife ( with a wood scabbard ) from the Philippines. Was in and out of Subic Bay quite a bit over several tours over there.

My blade was very sharp......and I might add - crafted by the Philippino's from a leaf spring, but you'd never know it.

[marlinman93]

I have a couple of those bolo knives my brother sent back from the Philippines when he was stationed there. One has an elaborately carved sheath, and quite nice. I have shown them to some knowledgeable knife collectors who told me they were made by individuals for GI's and tourist trade. The larger bolo (blade as long as yours, but 2"-3" wide) I have was sold to my brother by one of his Motanyard scouts. He said it was a functional knife they carried daily, and used for everything from chopping brush to field dressing game. Most collectors thought the small decorative knives are worth $30-$40, and the large bolo maybe $60-$80.

[92&94]

Sounds like MrMurphy knows the score and has a good lead for you on pricing. You could also register at Bladeforums.com or whatever it is and ask around there. Lots of knife nut forums around, but that is the one I know and lurk around sometimes.

[Ben_Rumson]

Search for them on ebay as " Pattern 1907 bayonet " Some of them bring more $$ according to the maker. Good Luck
Very neat to have those souvenirs ... But comes a day...

[gcs]

I have just the blade of the bolo type, from the same era, WW2, and am at a loss to figure how to mount a handle.
The tang is short, like on a file, and I assume the handle is bored out and the tang just pounded on. No rivets, no peened over tang like a kukri. If you can look at your bolos, and let me know if I'm on the right track, I'd appreciate it. It doesn't seem to be a very strong way to mount a handle but maybe I'm missing something.

[JB]

I'd love to have a couple of those myself, but stick them on Ebay and you'll get the top dollar for sure.

[GoatGuy]

Looks like lots of good advice from your fellow levergunners, jnyork. Being an "Old Salt", I wouldn't mind having that USN MK2.
(Oh yeah, sure GoatGuy. Old, yes. Sea salty? ...not so much! )

[Sixgun]

I personally think your making a huge mistake.----6

I'm 75 and nobody to leave them to. What would you do?

Just because your 75 don't mean your gonna drop dead tomorrow.

There are items to sell and items to keep. Something my brother gave me 70 years ago would fit in the latter. Besides, your certainly not gonna get rich off of them, maybe enough to pay an electric bill in the summertime. (If your lucky getting top dollar) Its not as if the items are equal monetarily to a 95% first gen single action Colt that you bought from a stranger.

Funny thing, when my older brother came back from "Nam, he gave me an Ak round. A 50 BMG round, and a mag from an M-14. The bullets sit on the shelf and I use the mag exclusively in my M1A.

If I absolutely-must-imperitvely-positively had to get rid of such items I was given many years ago, I'd get rid of them the same way I got them to someone who breathed the same air as me....it's good Karma. But.....that's my business and what you do with your stuff is your business.--------6

[cnjarvis]

The larger two Filipino blades appear to be "Talibongs". No idea what they'd be worth but someone studying Kali, Silat or Escrima would likely be very interested.

http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/shop/talibong/

[Bill in Oregon]

Tradervic, a lot of leaf springs were made of 5160, an outstanding knife steel.

[TraderVic]

Tradervic, a lot of leaf springs were made of 5160, an outstanding knife steel.

I did not know that.......interesting !

[3leggedturtle]

JNYork, if you get a price on the 2nd bayonet down in the 2nd pic let me know. thanks Todd/3leg