Antiques Roadshow just had a Randall No. 1 on it. A lady brought in her Father's WWII fighting knife. It had the sheath, and paperwork. They valued it at about $3500.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Depending on condition, that may be a fair price for it. To get that much out of it, they'd need proof of the date (like the original receipt or a letter from Bo himself.)

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Dick Burg

Gary can probably certify one of that lineage. He was running the company for years before his dad died in 1989.


The number and color of handle spacers, the overall characteristics, and the sheath will tell the tale. The sheath may not be the original one, but if it's of the right type and matches the knife for age and wear, it'd be hard to prove it isn't the original.

Go the their website and watch the Birmingham show from last night,

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Really too big for much daily use but I suppose all
Randall's folks need a number 1.
Recent Model 1 pick-up. I mainly popped because I
like the Ivorite grip and black sheath and priced ok.

Here's some screen snaps of the knife that was on Antiques Roadshow.

The time index on the PBS website video is 43:39.

Attached Images

	Randal No.1.JPG (65.1 KB, 110 views)
	Randal No.1(2).JPG (40.0 KB, 80 views)
	Randal No.1(3).jpg (41.9 KB, 82 views)

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

It was the real deal. Nice sheath, and some original paperwork. My guess is the estimate was pretty good, though the Randall guys here would know best. One owner knife, theater used, heck it might auction for a heck of a lot more! The guy who owned it was a documented fighter ace....

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Even older, even crankier....

Was his name Richard Bong? If so, he was the top US ace of all time, 40 kills against Japanese planes, from a P-38 Lightning.


And he was known to carry a Randall like this. Have seen a photo of him wearing the knife. The knife was on his belt, his .45 in a non-standard shoulder holster.


If the knife was Bong's, it's probably worth a lot just because of his identity. He was awarded the Medal of Honor and is among America's greatest military heroes. Alas, he was killed while test flying a P-80 that flamed out on him.


But a knife like that that can be shown to belong to ANY WWII flying ace is a valuable item.


However, the "paperwork" is just an old catalog. It 's probably worth a lot on its own. I haven't seen one that old before.

No, it was not Richard I. Bong, The daughter said her Father was a night fighter ace and flew P-61 Black Widows.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

I can't be sure of the metal colors in this photo. Are the guard and pommel brass or nickle silver?


If silver, it looks just like a knife I once owned, but I had a brown Johnson sheath and the knife had a wrist thong.


Note that the dip in the blade spine isn't as pronounced as on many Model 1's. I don't like the dip and really prefer to use a Model 5 blade and make up the knife that way.


This is one of my favorite knives of all time.

Pommel and guard are brass.