Friedr. Herder Chef's Knife

[kootenay joe]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-FRIEDR- ... true&rt=nc

Above is a link to a recently closed auction for a vintage Friedr. Herder 15" Chef's knife with 10" blade in good used condition.
F. Herder knives with their spade logo do tend to sell a bit higher than other German brands, however the $465 selling price for this knife seems far too high (maybe by 3-4x). There were 8 bidders beyond the $200 mark so it was not just a bidding 'war' if 8 people thought this knife is worth over $200.
I would like to hear from those familiar with collectible kitchen cutlery as well as F. Herder collectors, as to their thoughts about this Chef's knife & it's value.
thanks, kj

[tongueriver]

I see a low-end old German chef knife that isn't even full tang. with micro-pitting and probably some deeper ones. There is no accounting for some people's taste. I suppose they are going gaga over the brass shield?
I have a modern Misono UX-10 santoku that was not cheap; I use it every day in the kitchen, and I will take it with me when I die.

[FRJ]

I wouldn't take a barrel of those for my old 12" Dexter.

[kootenay joe]

Thanks for posting. I really appreciate it.
Your opinions are a bit harsher than mine but are in the same vein. I still think there might be more to it. Eight people bid beyond the $200 mark. That's a lot of nutty people if there truly is nothing special beyond an old knife from a respected German manufacturer.
I have watched vintage F. Herder chef's knives on ebay hoping to one day get one for a dollar or so. Usually they sell in the $50-$75 range so there definitely are people who value old F. Herder knives. But the $465 of this O.P. knife is so far off the charts i don't get it.
Maybe Elvis used to own it ?
kj

[tongueriver]

Maybe Elvis used to own it ?
kj

Perhaps they found it under the back seat of Geronimo's Cadillac?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hQibx6FDRU

[kootenay joe]

Catchy tune. I'm going to be singing it for some time i can tell. Hey boys, take me back ---.
kj

[muskrat man]

While I agree the selling price is way beyond what it is worth to me and most other folks I know; there is no denying the trend that people are reverting to the old stuff to use and as such the prices are going up, quality German kitchen cutlery included. In the past 5-6 years I have noticed a price spike and an expanded interest in anything old and quality that can still be used. Most if not all of these items it is hard to get the same quality of today such as carbon steel kitchen and butcher cutlery, cookware, lanterns, hand tools, firearms, axes, hatchets, etc.

I mean when a gransfors bruks hatchet is $100+ is it REALLY that unreasonable to pay up to $50 for a vintage hatchet that will split a piece of kindling just as well? Even if that same hatchet used to sell for only $15-20 a few years ago?

When a lodge cast iron skillet costs $50 or more new, and the casting is so rough it feels like you are scraping your spatula against a sidewalk....is it REALLY that unreasonable to pay as much or more for a vintage cast iron skillet that has a cooking surface that is glass smooth?

Old quality "tools" (generalizing tools, for different purposes in life) are not getting any cheaper especially if you can't buy a new equivalent that is of comparable quality.

Still wouldn't pay the winning bid for that chefs knife, maybe a fluke? I have seen stranger things!

[kootenay joe]

MM, thanks for posting. I appreciate hearing your observations about vintage kitchen cutlery as i did not know of this increasing interest.
kj

[tongueriver]

I have some old kitchen cutlery which I purchased as collectibles because they are just so nice. I don't use them; I use modern knives in the kitchen. As far as cast iron goes, that is a different matter. I and my wife use various iron pots and pans on a regular basis; they are SUPERIOR in some regards. The old ones are of much higher quality. Have any of you checked the price on old GRISWOLD kitchen iron pots and pans? Whoa!!!

Among other old kitchen cutlery, I have a 'no-name' German chef knife with a one-foot long blade, full-tang, with nicely-grained rosewood handles and schnabel, big brass cutlery rivets. The blade is as smooth as a mirror and razor sharp. It is considerably higher-grade than the O.P. Herder. It would be fun to use but I have other knives and I just don't want this old beauty to suffer the tiniest of degradation from use. That is pretty much how I feel about all the knives I own from a time long-gone; I don't want to use them up. They are art treasures. I have an occasional old one that has so much use that there is no real reason to safe-queen and I do use one like this occasionally. I do love old kitchen cutlery and have some remarkable examples. I was not aware that the market was climbing in that genre.

[stumpstalker]

Just saw this old thread. I guess we will never know why this vintage chef’s knife went for nearly half a grand in 2016. Tongueriver’s observation about the brass shield embedded in the handle would set it apart.

Yes, the blade does have a strong stamp and Herder has a good name but the sale price even if it were 2024 dollars is inexplicable to me. I wish I could speak with either of the last couple of bidders to learn what was so compelling about the knife. And I say this as an antique kitchen knife user/collector.