Not A Clue In What I Have... Using It For Charity...

[TeamShortBus]

Hello everyone my name is Darrin and after going through some things to auction off for a charity event coming up soon I found this knife left to me from my grandpa after his passing. I have no clue what it is or if it even carries a value to show the bidders/buyers. Thank you very much...

[tvenuto]

Looks to be an early plain edge Harpy? If your grandfather left it to you, it's probably worth more to you than anyone else. I'd say keep it and use it.

[Barman]

It as value to a Spyderco collector because it's an older plain edge Harpy. It's available to the US market as a serrated blade these days.
But if you're putting it up for auction there's a limited audience for collector value and you'll get pennies on the dollar for it.
Your best bet would be to put it on Ebay then donate the proceeds if you want to get the proper value for the knife and a worthy donation to your charity event.
I see one sold and one open auction for over $200. YMMV

[TeamShortBus]

Thank you very much for the quick responses. It's my Gpa's charity and it's his wish's to pass it on. We were thinking of the ebay option as well. Thanks again...

[The Deacon]

I agree with Barman. The early plain edged version of the Harpy is a knife that quite a few Spyderco collectors would be interested in adding to their collections. However, to most other folks it's "just a knife". For that reason, eBay would probably net you considerably more for the charity than auctioning it at an event.

[Blerv]

Great knife and glad it's going to a great cause, kudos :).

I agree with the folks here. It's quite desirable but to a specific audience.

[gbelleh]

It's also the knife Hannibal Lechter used.

[SpyderNut]

It's also the knife Hannibal Lechter used.

Yep. My thought too. Interesting to find one in PE in decent condition. Kudos to the OP for passing it on for charity. :)

[sal]

Hi TeamShortBus,

Welcome to our forum.

sal

[aesmith]

It's also the knife Hannibal Lechter used.

His was serrated.

[defenestrate]

It's also the knife Hannibal Lechter used.

His was serrated.

The knife depicted in the movie "Hannibal" is a plain edged Harpy. Now, in the book, IIRC, it was a civilian which I believe was serrated. If there is a serrated model in the movie, I can't think of when it would be shown.

[JD Spydo]

It as value to a Spyderco collector because it's an older plain edge Harpy. It's available to the US market as a serrated blade these days.
But if you're putting it up for auction there's a limited audience for collector value and you'll get pennies on the dollar for it.
Your best bet would be to put it on Ebay then donate the proceeds if you want to get the proper value for the knife and a worthy donation to your charity event.
I see one sold and one open auction for over $200. YMMV

You're spot on with most of what you're saying Barman :) But trust me if that is an older G-2 ( GIN-1) generation plain edged Harpy there will be some serious players come out of the woodwork for that one if he decides to put it up for an Ebay auction. Any of the other major knife forums would be a great place to wheel and deal it as well. If I wasn't facing some major bills this month dealing with my knee surgeries I would be on it like flypaper my own self. Plain Edged Harpy models are truly one of the Holy Grail Spyderco collector pieces ( especially one that old) and I can't think of another stainless handled Spyder that would get more attention than the PE Harpy unless it would maybe be the stainless Caly Jr. or maybe one of the more obscure POLICE models.

I find it a lot easier to find PE Merlin models than I do the PE Harpy>> they just never did make very many of those PE Harpy models no matter which blade steel or which era for that matter.. The only other PE Hawkbill I can think of that is more rare would be the first generation blue PE, VG-10 Spyderhawk ( 2003 era). I think he would live to regret selling it myself but not everyb0dy likes the same stuff. If it's got the original factory box that piece should fetch some really decent money.

[bengaiser]

It's also the knife Hannibal Lechter used.

His was serrated.

The knife depicted in the movie "Hannibal" is a plain edged Harpy. Now, in the book, IIRC, it was a civilian which I believe was serrated. If there is a serrated model in the movie, I can't think of when it would be shown.

The Civilians were available in plain edge as well.

[aesmith]

"The bright blade appears in his hand as though he had sprouted it to replace his sixth finger. The knife is called a Harpy and it has a serrated blade shaped like a talon."

[defenestrate]

aesmith, thanks for the heads up. Been a while since I've read it.

bengaiser, I am aware of the PE civilians, but I thought the book specifically mentioned a serrated one. Apparently the Harpy is serrated in the book.

[The Deacon]

aesmith, thanks for the heads up. Been a while since I've read it.

bengaiser, I am aware of the PE civilians, but I thought the book specifically mentioned a serrated one. Apparently the Harpy is serrated in the book.

Two excellent and three good movies, but none really follow the four excellent books they were based on.

Been a good while since I read the books, so I'm not sure if Harris even mentioned the edge type when he wrote of Dr. Lecter purchasing the Civilian. IIRC, he bought it at a gun show in Virginia and also bought another Spyderco at the same time. Not sure if that was the Harpy, or a Military. Have to get them from the library and read them again.