South African Navaja for comment

Battara · 3rd March 2006, 01:33 AM

Rsword suggested months ago that I post this puppy. I got this years ago when I first started collecting. It is a clasp knife Navaja, but with white horn and African patterned brass mounts. On one side there are heavily worn engravings of either acorns or pineapples, and on the other side there is an engraved inscription in cursive: "Van aboor in varen" which I had a friend from South Africa translate from the Afrikaans ""From a true Boer" . Had someone else date it years ago to possibly the 1830s around the time of the Great Trek in South Africa. Enjoy.

RobT · 3rd March 2006, 02:21 AM

Hi Battara,
I instantly recognised your navaja because I have one that, with one important exception, is very similar to yours. The inscription on mine says "Soy Anda de Sevilla". Other than this, the blades look like siblings. Mine has some brass inlay on the hilt scales (the center inlay is missing) but the shape of the blade, bolster, and butt cap are just like yours. Even the engraving on the side opposite the inscription looks like yours. Given these similarities I wonder if these blades were produced by the same company and variously engraved to appeal to specific ethnic clientelle. The backspring on mine is missing. Could you post pictures of yours? I would like to make a backspring but I need to know what it originally looked like.
Sincerely,
RobT

ingelred · 3rd March 2006, 11:44 AM

hello,

this is not an African but a Spain / Sevilla navaja.
You may take a look at these for comparison:

http://www.couteaux-jfl.com/seville.htm

Greetings, Helge

Battara · 4th March 2006, 06:58 PM

Oh yes I agree in that it was orginally made in Spain and exported or found its way to South Africa. The "boor" spelling is an alternative Afrikaans spelling of "Boer". I will see what I can do in the extra photos.

Chris Evans · 5th March 2006, 02:48 AM

Hi Battara,

That is almost certainly a Spanish navaja, and given its general shape, most likely from Sevilla. According to samples given in Forton's Navajas Antiguas, it was probably made in the late 19th century, at a time when the navaja was on its way out of usage in Spain and the few cutlers that remained tried to sell their wares in the remaining Spanish colonies. How that one ended up with the Afrikaans inscription is a bit of a mystery as the blades were generally etch engraved before the knife was assembled. It could have been custom made in Spain for a Boer customer, or alternatively, the etched engraving could have been added later

There is always the possibility, though remote, that that knife was made not in Spain, but elsewhere, as they were made in many parts of the world, as afar as India, their basic construction being very low tech, though quite labour intensive - Perhaps by a Spanish cutler who migrated to S.Africa. The style of engraving on the bolsters and the blade strongly suggests Spanish workmanship.

On second thought, are you sure that inscription is in Afrikaans and not misspelled Spanish? Those cutlers were for most part illiterate and their spelling was notoriously bad - Those words could overlap with misspelled Spanish.

Cheers
Chris Evans

Battara · 5th March 2006, 09:33 PM

I am quite sure it is Afrikaans, especially since I am somewhat familiar with Afrikaans and even more familiar with Spanish. I think the message was engraved later than the manufacture of the blade.

rugantino · 23rd March 2006, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobT

The backspring on mine is missing. Could you post pictures of yours? I would like to make a backspring but I need to know what it originally looked like.
Sincerely,
RobT

see here: the first is relatively simple, the second is file worded: choose the model you want according with the style of your navaja

RobT · 27th March 2006, 04:38 AM

Thanks rugantino for the backspring info. I'll get some spring steel and make one up.
Sincerely,
RobT

Battara · 28th March 2006, 07:10 PM

It has been difficult to get someone to loan me their digital camera. My navaja back spring is exactly like the second one of Rugantino's.

3rd March 2006, 01:33 AM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,200	South African Navaja for comment Rsword suggested months ago that I post this puppy. I got this years ago when I first started collecting. It is a clasp knife Navaja, but with white horn and African patterned brass mounts. On one side there are heavily worn engravings of either acorns or pineapples, and on the other side there is an engraved inscription in cursive: "Van aboor in varen" which I had a friend from South Africa translate from the Afrikaans ""From a true Boer" . Had someone else date it years ago to possibly the 1830s around the time of the Great Trek in South Africa. Enjoy. Attached Images

3rd March 2006, 02:21 AM	#2
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 476	Strange Coincidence Hi Battara, I instantly recognised your navaja because I have one that, with one important exception, is very similar to yours. The inscription on mine says "Soy Anda de Sevilla". Other than this, the blades look like siblings. Mine has some brass inlay on the hilt scales (the center inlay is missing) but the shape of the blade, bolster, and butt cap are just like yours. Even the engraving on the side opposite the inscription looks like yours. Given these similarities I wonder if these blades were produced by the same company and variously engraved to appeal to specific ethnic clientelle. The backspring on mine is missing. Could you post pictures of yours? I would like to make a backspring but I need to know what it originally looked like. Sincerely, RobT Last edited by RobT; 3rd March 2006 at 02:27 AM. Reason: additional information

5th March 2006, 02:48 AM	#5
Chris Evans Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 675	Hi Battara, That is almost certainly a Spanish navaja, and given its general shape, most likely from Sevilla. According to samples given in Forton's Navajas Antiguas, it was probably made in the late 19th century, at a time when the navaja was on its way out of usage in Spain and the few cutlers that remained tried to sell their wares in the remaining Spanish colonies. How that one ended up with the Afrikaans inscription is a bit of a mystery as the blades were generally etch engraved before the knife was assembled. It could have been custom made in Spain for a Boer customer, or alternatively, the etched engraving could have been added later There is always the possibility, though remote, that that knife was made not in Spain, but elsewhere, as they were made in many parts of the world, as afar as India, their basic construction being very low tech, though quite labour intensive - Perhaps by a Spanish cutler who migrated to S.Africa. The style of engraving on the bolsters and the blade strongly suggests Spanish workmanship. On second thought, are you sure that inscription is in Afrikaans and not misspelled Spanish? Those cutlers were for most part illiterate and their spelling was notoriously bad - Those words could overlap with misspelled Spanish. Cheers Chris Evans Last edited by Chris Evans; 5th March 2006 at 09:05 AM.

27th March 2006, 04:38 AM	#8
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 476	Thanks for the Info Thanks rugantino for the backspring info. I'll get some spring steel and make one up. Sincerely, RobT

3rd March 2006, 11:44 AM	#3
ingelred Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Moenchengladbach, Germany Posts: 62	hello, this is not an African but a Spain / Sevilla navaja. You may take a look at these for comparison: http://www.couteaux-jfl.com/seville.htm Greetings, Helge

4th March 2006, 06:58 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,200	Oh yes I agree in that it was orginally made in Spain and exported or found its way to South Africa. The "boor" spelling is an alternative Afrikaans spelling of "Boer". I will see what I can do in the extra photos.

5th March 2006, 09:33 PM	#6
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,200	I am quite sure it is Afrikaans, especially since I am somewhat familiar with Afrikaans and even more familiar with Spanish. I think the message was engraved later than the manufacture of the blade.

28th March 2006, 07:10 PM	#9
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,200	It has been difficult to get someone to loan me their digital camera. My navaja back spring is exactly like the second one of Rugantino's.