The Art Knife Invitational (AKI) is one of the most prestigious exhibitions in the world of custom knives. 
This invitation-only event gathers only about twenty-five of the world's top master knifemakers each year, and every piece displayed represents the highest standard of contemporary knife artistry.
This auto folder-skinner, featured in our collection, has a story deeply connected to the AKI. 

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It was commissioned by us at the 2007 show and was personally delivered by the maker in 2009. 
This history not only provides it with clear provenance but also documents the creation process of a museum-quality artifact.

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Mr. Frank personally wrote a letter for this knife, stating that it was the only automatic knife he had ever made and that he would not make another. This letter officially documents the knife as a one-of-a-kind piece, cementing its incomparable rarity in the collector's market.

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Materials & Craftsmanship
The materials and craftsmanship of this knife
serve as a textbook-style showcase of Frank's lifelong skills.

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Extensive Use of Gold:

14k Gold: 
Many parts of the knife, like the metal frame, the pins holding it together, and even a tiny toothpick hidden at the end, are all made of 14k gold. Frank was famous for using this much gold in his knives.

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24k Gold: 
To make it look extra luxurious, he filled the detailed carvings on the blade with pure 24k gold. This was a special finishing touch he liked to use.

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Handle Material: 
The handle is made from "aged elephant ivory." This was one of Frank's favorite materials because it has a nice, warm feeling and looks very elegant.

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Structural Craftsmanship: 
The ivory handle pieces are attached to the metal frame using 14k gold pins.
A key detail about his work is that he never used glue.
Building a knife this way, using only pins to hold it together, is much stronger and shows incredible skill.

Steel Treatment: 
All the steel parts, like the blade and the locking part, have a special "French grey" finish.
This finish does two things:
It protects the steel from rust.
It gives the metal a soft, grey shine that looks very cool and sophisticated.
This unique grey look was one of Frank's signature styles.