I HAVE SEEN FOUR SETS OF THESE KNIVES INCLUDING THIS ONE. I HAVE TWO ONE WITH STEEL KNIVES LIKE YOURS AND THE OTHER WITH FINELY MADE WOODEN KNIVES THAT LOOK JUST LIKE THE STEEL KNIVES, I SUSPECT IT WAS A SAMPLE? THE ONLY DIRECT REFRENCE I HAVE SEEN WITH PICTURES WAS IN ONE OF THE OLD BANNERMAN CATALOGS. THEY HAD A SET OF THESE AND SAID THEY CAME FROM ALGERIA.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WORK ON THE SCABBARDS YOU WILL SEE A LOT OF SIMULARITY TO THE WORK DONE ON THE SCABBARDS AND HANDLES OF THE WEDDING NIMCHAS FROM MOROCCO. SO I WOULD SAY ALGERIA AS AN ORIGIN BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHAT USE THE KNIVES WOULD HAVE SERVED.
THE STEEL KNIVES ARE VERY THIN AND LIGHT AND THE BALANCE IS NOT BAD BUT THEY HAVE SMALL HANDLES SO I DOUBT THEY WOULD BE FIGHTING KNIVES AND THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WEIGHT TO BE USED FOR THROWING. I WOULD GUESS THAT THEY WERE A TOP QUALITY UTILITY KNIFE OF SOME SORT PERHAPS ASSOCIATED WITH SOME TRADE OR GUILD.

AT ANY RATE THEY ARE NOT COMMON AND ARE AN INTERESTING AND WELL MADE LITTLE KNIFE SET.
CONGRADULATIONS AS YOU ARE NOW ONE OF THREE PERSONS I KNOW WHO OWNS A SET.