Case XX USA/10 dot transition pretty bone 6488 Congress Near Mint Large Congress 65-69 to 70 ten dot Transition Start Price USD 0.99 Current Price USD 355.00 Time Left - Bid Count 16 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, November 12, 2008 End Time Saturday, November 22, 2008 Location McKee, KY See more about 'Case XX USA/10 dot transition pretty bone 6488 Congress' Description OK, first a little history on this knife, then we will get down to brass tacks. This pattern is a multi-bladed knife that most collectors call a large or jumbo congress.  It is the largest of the congress measuring 4 1/8".  Case introduced them sometime prior to 1915 and later discontinued  them after the 1978 production year.  Almost all have four blades, but some were  manufactured with two or three. Many of the 2-bladed 88 patterns were manufactured prior to 1940, but a few special issue 2-blade congresses were manufactured after that. Most of the three-blade 88 patterns were manufactured by W.R. Case and Sons prior to 1915.   The four-bladed 88 pattern is the most common. They generally have a sheepfoot master blade, along with a pen, spear, and coping blade. Brass tacks now! This is a "Transition" Case XX, pattern number 6488 Large Congress with very pretty matching red bone handles with a lighter color on the same end and on both sides. So, in my opinion, they match. The sheepfoot master blade has Case XX USA with 10 dots on it (1970). The other larger blade has Case XX USA with no dots (1965-69). Transition from the Case XX USA era of blades to the Case XX USA 10 dot 1970 era. This knife does not appear to have ever been carried, used, or sharpened! The only blade loss it has at all is from being buffed back to almost factory mirror finish. I took this knife to my "local expert", which by the way has been dealing with Case knives for over 45 years and he closely inspected it for me. I wanted to know if it had every been taken apart, (professionally cleaned) and put back together? He said the knife has definitely never been torn apart, so it is as it was when Case made it. He told me that the only loss of metal on this knife was due to the light buffing, and told me that this knife was 97-98% mint. If you know anything about percentages, that is pretty good on a knife that is 38, almost 39 years old. All 4 blades have great half stop, as it was very hard for me to get the 2 smallers blades in postion for the pics shown! The snap is great in all 4 blades. Remember this knife has never been carried or used! The handles or scales are chip and crack free except for one hairline on the backside middle rivet, which I tried to capture in the last photo, but wasnt easy as it is a very smaill hairline crack. The only very light pitting that I can see is on the Master Sheepfoot blade right above the nail pull (very minimal). And a slight spotting on the back springs (also very minimal), see pics. This one books for $600 to $700 mint, and of course this one is not mint, but dang close! Thanks for looking and Have a Great Holiday Season. This one in my eyes is one to hang on to, if you get it. Please no bidders under 18.On Nov-11-08 at 18:15:08 PST, seller added the following information:Slight correction, want to represent this one in total truth as I know it and to the best of my ability. I talked to my expert again and he told me in his best judgement that this knife as is 96-98% mint. He drppped it 1% because the circle around the "CASE" on the shield has a slight break in it from the buffing. Thanks and good luck bidding.On Nov-11-08 at 18:48:54 PST, seller added the following information:OK, to clarify, the oval circle around the "Case" on the shield is worn from buffing, there is nothing "Broke" on this knife. ThanksOn Nov-12-08 at 04:52:14 PST, seller added the following information:Also, I have the shipping on this piece at First Class, but I got bids on it so quick I couldnt change it. I will ship this beauty Priority and will pay for insurance and delivery confirmation myself. On Nov-14-08 at 05:44:30 PST, seller added the following information:I've been emailed a question about the factory edge on this knife. It has lost some factory edge on all blades due to the buffing. The smaller blades retain more of the factory edge than the big blades. I asked my "Case Expert" to put a nice professional edge back on this knife and he said it was better not to. That, to a collector, the factory edge is not as important as the fact that this knife has never been sharpened. So, I took his advice and left it as is. Thanks for the question. Place a Bid!