Thanks for your responses, gents. The knife is about 9 1/2 inches long with a 5 inch blade. The blade is 0.213 inches thick at the hilt. It came to me in a Johnson rough back sheath which has the Randall logo on the back and is marked 5 5. The stone is salmon colored. I was really pleased to get this knife and it's in almost perfect condition. I got several other knives in the auction and I'll post a few photos as time permits.

- - - - Buckspen

Someone needs to put those rks letters on a PDF for everyone

Buckspen, we went to the same auction! Here is a Mammoth Ivory Bearcamp Special based on a Randall Combat Companion blade.

Jim

We did put all the RKS Newsletters on PDF's. Check with Capt. Stanaback.

Jim

Jim - I saw that knife, too. It's a nice one. I sort of collect the ones with the old yellow/gold handles, so that's the one I put my money on. Did you get any other knives? I got a total of seven but missed out on the one I wanted most. It was lot #203, the Leschorn Model 2-7. I really wanted that one, but was outbid.

- - -Buckspen

P.S. - I didn't actually go to New Hampshire. I did all my looking and bidding via the catalog and the internet.

Buckspen,

In the previous Amoskeag auction I got a Shaw-Leibowitz "Lewis & Clark" commemorative etched/gold and copper plated blade Randall and an FWI tip Rick Bowles Special in addition to the Bearcamp. There were at least several altered Randall's including a hatchet that I avoided even though I was interested in them. By the way, I heard the winner of the hatchet took it to the Randall Shop and was told it had an altered handle.

The Fossil Walrus tip Bowles I won was incorrectly described as having a Juvenile Elephant tip. You really have to be careful as these auction companies usually have no clue in specialized areas such as old Randall's.

I also bid remotely via fax.

Jim

Jim - I bought two #2 Randalls with yellow micarta handles in the Amoskeag #95 sale. They were quite nice. I bid on a dozen or so knives in the #96 auction, but was outbid on every one. I really wanted that ivory handled push dagger (lot 976) but just didn't bid high enough.
Did you by any chance look at lot 212 in the #97 sale? That one was titled "Randall miniature special order Model 16 SP#1". The knife just didn't look right to me.

- - Buckspen

The push dagger was also a suspect knife. I withdrew my bid on it after consulting with an expert.

The saying that 11 out of 10 Randall miniatures is a fake holds true almost always. I think #212 may not be legit. I wouldn't buy it unless it was authenticated.

Rock Island auctions a few Randall's from time to time. A friend of mine bought two so-called miniatures last year that were sent for authentication and were both fakes. However I bought a mini Bear Bowie with a sperm whale tooth handle from the same auction that was authenticated as legit.

Caveat Emptor is certainly true at auctions.

Jim

Yeah, you really have to be careful. And I have gotten stung a time or two.
Do you happen to have a copy of the catalog sent out by Rhett Stidham in 1991 that had all the unique knives in it? If you do, look on page 21. In the upper left corner is a knife he called a "Special Push Dagger" catalog #287. I think this was the exact same knife offered as lot 976 in the Amoskeag #96 auction. The appearance is the same and the description is very similar. It even mentions the crack in the handle.
If you are willing to share the information, I'd sure like to know why it may not have been the real thing.

- - - - Buckspen

Buckspen

I have the original/brother to your Bear Camp Special.