Michael A. Donato, is a knife collector, buying and selling custom knives for many years. Often featured in Blade Magazine, he views each knife as an individual work of art with each knife maker being an artist and steel being his or her canvas. The exotic materials, unique designs and superior craftsmanship of these knives rival and at times surpass the finest watches, jewelry and pens available on today’s market.
Michael believes that every deal should be a win-win for all parties involved. Developing and building long lasting relationships are at the top on his priority list. He especially prides himself with second to none customer service and for being able to provide a fine assortment of custom knives in many price ranges by many different makers.
Not only is knifepurveyor.com a premiere locale to buy custom knives, it is also an avenue for many collectors and makers to sell their knives. His reputation is one of someone who will go above and beyond in order to ensure that every deal is a success for the consignee, buyer, and seller. Donato answered questions about the knife making industry, and its latest trends and interests.
Interview Michael Donato Knife Purveyor
Tell Us About Yourself. Namely, How And Why You Entered The Knife Appraising and Collecting Industry?
After graduating college I traveled abroad throughout Europe and Africa. While traveling, I visted the Louvre, Prada Casa De Greco and many other fine art museums and had fallen in love with the arts and fine items. I have gained an apprecitaion for all things fine. Upon my return to the states I realized, I wanted deal with fine items. I began to subscribe to the Robb Report and other publications to see which items people of affluency collected. Many collected Watches, Jewlery, Pens and Art but for the most part those markets were satuated. A friend of mine invited me to the NY custom knife show and I was quickly biten by the custom knife bug.
When I handled each knife, I was amazed at the quality of the materials used as well as the craftsmanship. I viewed each knife as individual work of art. What amazed me most was the prices did not seem to match the quality of the product, if these were one of a kind watches or pens they would have been much more money. I saw great potential and began to do research into the marketplace. There seem to be plenty of opportunity being most people did not know that knives of this quality even existed.
I do more than appraise knives, I connect buyers and sellers, commission knives to be made and sell some of the finest knives made today. Over the years I have acted as a conduit between buyer and seller, maker and collector or even collector and collector. I am a huge advocate for the custom knife world by constantly striving to promote and educate those who are interested in fine collectibles.
As A Purveyor Of Fine, Custom Knives, What Type Of Product or Quality Are You Searching For?
I look for well made knives that have the following criteria. Materials should be of the finest quality obtainable and matched well on both sides of the knife. I prefer a one of a kind knife that has a timeless design. One that can appeal to a broad audience of people. A knife should have superior fit and finish. This is where a great maker has the ability to shine.
It's about fit and finish, the blade drops dead center when closed, no wiggle to the blade in the open position, and where two materials meet there should be a seamless junction with no transitional difference between the two materials. Also, the grinds of the blade should be mirrored, when looking down at the grind it should look like an Isosceles triangle to show that the maker was able to grind both sides of the knife evenly. The knife must look good and sharp to the eye in both open and closed positions.
What Are Some Of The Latest Trends In The Knife Making industry? What is your average client looking for? Tastes and Opinions Obviously Vary, Correct? Is There Any Uniformity of Opinion Among Buyers These Days?
Highly embellished knives are and have been in high demand. One popular trend is to take a finely made custom gentleman’s folder - the criteria for a gentleman’s folder must have a 3” long blade or less - use this as the canvas, then have an engraver inlay 24 carat gold, and engrave either scroll work, banknote engraving or figurative engraving, Bulino engraving. It quickly becomes one of a kind, and much more desirable. Many knives are made in what is called blade reduction, where a knifemaker procures the blade steel from another source then creates the knife.
The market trend has been to collect knives from Sole authorship makers where the makers forge their own steel or Damascus and then make the knife. Taking sole authorship to another level is when you have a maker who not only forges his own steel but also has the ability to engrave his knives too. This is a complete sole authorship creation and extremely desirable. Some of the hottest scale materials are the hardest to find, for instance Blacklip Tahitian Pearl shell, Antique Tortoise shell and Naturally Colored Fossilized Walrus Ivory.
Tell Us About Montana’s Reputation In The Knife Making World. The State Has Some Excellent Knife smiths, Correct? What Makes Big Sky Knife Makers Distinct?
Montana custom knifemakers are known in the custom knife world for their exceptional Mosaic Damascus. Mosaic Damascus is when the knifemaker is able to forge the Damascus steel into patterns which carry throughout the steel. For example, Josh Smith once forged steel with a complete baseball theme. There were bats and balls forged into the pattern of the steel. Notable makers from Montana include Joe Olson from Geyser MT, Josh Smith from Frenchtown, MT , Shane Taylor Miles City MT and Rick Dunkerley from Seely Lake MT.
What Overall or General Factors And Variables Determine A Knife’s Value?
Who made the knife is a major factor when determining its value. Depending on the knifemakers demand, a maker may have a waiting list that exceeds five years. Next, is the style or model of the knife, some designs are more desirable than others. The materials used in the knife also must be taken into consideration when pricing a knife. How many artisans did it take to create the knife. In some instances you may have one maker forge the steel another make the knife and a third artist engrave it.
Trends also come into play when determining a knife’s value. Just like in any other market, when a maker’s knives are hot, his prices increase. I recommend to all my clients to buy what you like first and foremost and to continue to review your collection as it grows to see if you have trends in your taste, tastes always develop too as experience grows.
One thing I always recommend is to buy the best you can for it will retain its value and demand much more so than the lower priced knives. Most collectors have high net worth and seem to be less effected by high gas prices and other integers that a normal collector may face. This high net worth collect can afford a $1,000 knife but is less likely to buy it, he or she is interested in the $2,500-$10,000 priced knives being they are far less of them available in the population of knives.
It Seems As If The Knife Making Industry Has Been Long Underappreciated As An Art Form or Genre? Do You Feel That The Industry Remains Fairly Unrecognized As Such?
Definitely. As previously mentioned, I view each knife as an individual work of art and the knifemaker as an artist. Over the past 8 years I have seen the market grow tremendously as more collectors are being introduced to the custom knife world.
Recently we have been recognized in Playboy magazine and Forbes magazine. It is exposure like this which is a driving force for what the future might bring. There are many famous collectors, for instance Angelina Jolie, Nicolas Cage, Robin Williams, and Sylvester Stalone to name a few. When Hollywood starts to take notice of something it can really take off from there.
Returning To Josh Smith, Being A Montana Writer, He Is A Knife Maker I Am Quite Familiar With - One Of My Favorite Artists. Have You Been Involved In Any Knife Purveying Work For Josh Smith As A client?
Yes, I have. Josh Smith is a gifted knifemaker, who was the youngest to earn a Mastersmith from the American Bladesmith Society. His work is sought after in the knife world and recently he has been commissioned by collectors from Dubai. I have had the honor of selling six of his knives, and I look forward to receiving more of his work in the near future.
Michael Donato Knife Purveyor
Michael Donato is a collector who has turned his passion for knives into a viable business. In the process he bridges together collectors with artisans who forge, hammer, and construct impeccable works of art. Donato's passion underscores the fact that a truly special custom knife becomes forever a part of the collector's life.
Brian D'Ambrosio - Brian D'Ambrosio is the author of more than 500 published articles and seven books, including From Haikus to Hatmaking: A Year in the Life ...
