Case XX Banana Trapper 1987 SFO ROG6251SP SS

[caitonean]

Hello all,

I am new to collecting and new to this forum, I have joined this forum because I read a lot of very interesting and beneficial information about a lot of questions, I had from what seemed to be very knowledgeable people. As such I wanted to see if you all might be able to help me get an approximate value on a Case knife, I am looking at buying, I understand and know that value is subjective, however any input would be helpful. As listed in the title the knife is a 1987 Case XX Banana Trapper SFO ROG6251SP SS, the seller is James Parker, somehow his name seams to come up repeatedly on a few knifes that I have come across and I thought you all might know of him. He says that this knife is in mint condition, apparently this was made for Smoky Mountain Knife Works back in 1987, he also claims that this is a very rare, but I do not know.

Any help in this would be greatly appreciated, as I said I understand that value is not an exact science and many times it is what someone is willing to pay for it.

Thank you all for your time and help.

[wlf]

They are not all that rare I don't think. I don't have my resources at hand, but I think there were thousands of these, sold in sets. Other more knowledgeable Case collectors will be here shortly.
As sets, usually value is diminished out by themselves. Parkers have been famous or infamous, depending upon who you speak to.
Jim Parker , his father, was not above shady practices just to promote sales.
$100 more or less is my opinion.

[Modern Slip Joints]

This will be more reminising than providing a solid price. When the ROG6251 you are considering was made Jim Parker owned Case Cutlery. He is a well known figure in knife collecting. He is sometimes called shady by Case collectors who think some of his business decisions did not preserve Case knives as they were historically made. For two examples he sold the knives out of the Case factory museum and out sourced some production to Germany. However, the museum's contents were his property and the German Cases are not shaped like any Case pattern so they are easy to tell apart and they're quality knives. He will word his ads to make his knives appear desirable but so do most sellers. Rare is usually an exageration in ads for any collectable. When I bought through ebay auctions two Case ROG6211 1/2 (Cheetah frame) slip joints that might be from 1987 they cost about the same as common new Case models from SMKW. While 6251 bananan trappers have not been made for a few years there have been many production runs of 6251s. In contrast I do not think any other 6211 jack knives have been made since WW II. I would still not call my jack knives rare. Variations in bone jigging and dye color do not affect the value of modern Case knives much.

Other than that, the standard answers are search ebay for 6251 knife auctions that sold and you have to decide how bad you want it.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

The knife in the OP is already up to 275, which I find astonishing. They made these for the Case Collector’s Club for several years in the 1980’s. One had Rogers jigged bone that looks an awful lot like this one. I doubt that Case made less than 500 of these, but I could be wrong and that would make it not so rare. I wouldn’t pay anywhere close to 275 for this knife, unless I really needed it for a collection. Chances are that whoever buys this will never be able to sell it for anything close to this down the road. Hope this helps.

[Mumbleypeg]

This will be more reminising than providing a solid price. When the ROG6251 you are considering was made Jim Parker owned Case Cutlery. He is a well known figure in knife collecting. He is sometimes called shady by Case collectors who think some of his business decisions did not preserve Case knives as they were historically made. For two examples he sold the knives out of the Case factory museum and out sourced some production to Germany. However, the museum's contents were his property and the German Cases are not shaped like any Case pattern so they are easy to tell apart and they're quality knives. He will word his ads to make his knives appear desirable but so do most sellers. Rare is usually an exageration in ads for any collectable. When I bought through ebay auctions two Case ROG6211 1/2 (Cheetah frame) slip joints that might be from 1987 they cost about the same as common new Case models from SMKW. While 6251 bananantrappers have not been made for a few years there have been many production runs of 6251s. In contrast I do not think any other 6211 jack knives have been made since WW II. I would still not call my jack knives rare. Variations in bone jigging and dye color do not affect the value of modern Case knives much.

Other than that, the standard answers are search ebay for 6251 knife auctions that sold and you have to decide how bad you want it.

I agree with most of this post, but the knife was not made when Jim Parker Sr. owned Case Cutlery. He bought Case in 1989 and sold it (bankruptcy) in 1991. Some of his reputation was tarnished by producing German-made “reproductions” of old U.S. cutlery brands which were mostly not true “reproductions” of patterns made by those cutleries at all. But they were made with tang stamps indicating them to be from those cutleries. “Germany” was marked on the backside of the blade, in ink, which was fairly easily removed. Some have alleged the removable ink was intentional. IMHO whether one believes that allegation or not, it has no direct relationship to Mr. Parker Sr.’s dealings at Case.

Now as to the question posed by the OP, I see no reason activities, good or bad, of James Parker Sr. should have any bearing on the activities of James Parker Jr., aka eBay seller “silverladdie”. Do not conflate the two. Items in his listings are typically described well and with quality photography. He has a large following on eBay and his auctions typically bring premium prices (above actual value in most cases). JMO. With any seller “rare” and other descriptive terms tend to be overused - do your homework. Buy the knife, not the story.

Ken

[knifeaddict1965]

Hello all,

I am new to collecting and new to this forum, I have joined this forum because I read a lot of very interesting and beneficial information about a lot of questions, I had from what seemed to be very knowledgeable people. As such I wanted to see if you all might be able to help me get an approximate value on a Case knife, I am looking at buying, I understand and know that value is subjective, however any input would be helpful. As listed in the title the knife is a 1987 Case XX Banana Trapper SFO ROG6251SP SS, the seller is James Parker, somehow his name seams to come up repeatedly on a few knifes that I have come across and I thought you all might know of him. He says that this knife is in mint condition, apparently this was made for Smoky Mountain Knife Works back in 1987, he also claims that this is a very rare, but I do not know.

Any help in this would be greatly appreciated, as I said I understand that value is not an exact science and many times it is what someone is willing to pay for it.

Thank you all for your time and help.

This is one I have that looks identical. Not sure of the value, but it came in this set with the .999 silver one ounce coin. This one is numbered 230 on the bolster, so I would think there were at least 250 made (probably more).

[BIGHEAD]

The knife in the OP is already up to 275, which I find astonishing. They made these for the Case Collector’s Club for several years in the 1980’s. One had Rogers jigged bone that looks an awful lot like this one. I doubt that Case made less than 500 of these, but I could be wrong and that would make it not so rare. I wouldn’t pay anywhere close to 275 for this knife, unless I really needed it for a collection. Chances are that whoever buys this will never be able to sell it for anything close to this down the road. Hope this helps.

Buzz being the seller it will bring 2-3x its worth. He has to have schill bidders. Been that way for years.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Kevin, that is the one I remembered having at one time. I sold that years ago. It is a nice looking knife and the Rogers jigging is some of my favorite. Seeing that and the OP makes me think that Case made a lot more of these than people realize so I still don’t think that is worth 275 or whatever it sells for.
Bighead, I can’t figure out his auctions and why they bring so much, but they do. If you look at how many reviews he has, it’s near 100,000 so he has been doing this well for a long time.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

The OP knife sold for 355. Amazing.

[wlf]

[quote=Sharpnshinyknives post_id=<a href="tel:1185598">1185598</a> time=<a href="tel:1742849884">1742849884</a> user_id=29553]
The knife in the OP is already up to 275, which I find astonishing. They made these for the Case Collector’s Club for several years in the 1980’s. One had Rogers jigged bone that looks an awful lot like this one. I doubt that Case made less than 500 of these, but I could be wrong and that would make it not so rare. I wouldn’t pay anywhere close to 275 for this knife, unless I really needed it for a collection. Chances are that whoever buys this will never be able to sell it for anything close to this down the road. Hope this helps.

Buzz being the seller it will bring 2-3x its worth. He has to have schill bidders. Been that way for years.
[/quote]

I observed this when I watched eBay, they have an eBay cartel . Parker Sr and jr were involved in rehandling the celluloid classics and making several "prototypes ". Besides the schill bidding and the prototypes, wasn't the so called NOS Shapleigh cattle knives another German Parker product?

[caitonean]

I thank you all very much for all of the advice and information, I really appreciate it. I am learning a lot form this process.

Thanks again

[Dullest_knife]

Hello all,

I am new to collecting and new to this forum, I have joined this forum because I read a lot of very interesting and beneficial information about a lot of questions, I had from what seemed to be very knowledgeable people. As such I wanted to see if you all might be able to help me get an approximate value on a Case knife, I am looking at buying, I understand and know that value is subjective, however any input would be helpful. As listed in the title the knife is a 1987 Case XX Banana Trapper SFO ROG6251SP SS, the seller is James Parker, somehow his name seams to come up repeatedly on a few knifes that I have come across and I thought you all might know of him. He says that this knife is in mint condition, apparently this was made for Smoky Mountain Knife Works back in 1987, he also claims that this is a very rare, but I do not know.

Any help in this would be greatly appreciated, as I said I understand that value is not an exact science and many times it is what someone is willing to pay for it.

Thank you all for your time and help.

Man, I hate to even see a Banana Trapper? I had six I traded or sold and it makes me sick. I really like em, I’ll get en again - probably pay double.

Case collectors 1st three knives were bananas- 1blade 1981, 82- 2bladee, then Hobo
Then I had the Centennial, 1 and 2 blade ( and that 2 blade was perfect)
Then had a CCC anniversary that was scrolled bolsters on a plaqu. .


Never forget those , I think some you will never forget or get over losing.


But yea , I love ‘em

[Dullest_knife]

The knife in the OP is already up to 275, which I find astonishing. They made these for the Case Collector’s Club for several years in the 1980’s. One had Rogers jigged bone that looks an awful lot like this one. I doubt that Case made less than 500 of these, but I could be wrong and that would make it not so rare. I wouldn’t pay anywhere close to 275 for this knife, unless I really needed it for a collection. Chances are that whoever buys this will never be able to sell it for anything close to this down the road. Hope this helps.

I wouldn’t pay 275 either , get it for half if you wait. They’re always up there.