Navaja, opinion requested

[Sajen]

Just have won by ebay this large navaja folding knife and the paid price was worth a try. It's rather large, when opened it's 18" long (45,7 cm) and to my uneducated eyes it seems to have some age but don't think that it is antique.
I know nearly nothing about navajas so I would be more as happy to read your comments. Here the only picture from the seller. Thank you in advance.

[Rick]

Here is a small relative . You can see the construction is quite similar although this one is only 6 inches opened . I'll guess this is a mid 20th century souvenir knife . The intaglio has been painted in quite nicely . I wonder if the one headed your way was similarly painted at one time .
My example is scary sharp .

[Sajen]

Hello Rick,

thank you for comment! Would be a nice pair. I've done in the meantime some research and it could be that the blade of mine was painted once as well, I've seen that 19th. century ones were sometimes also painted. And I agree, both are very similar from shape and construction.

Regards,
Detlef

[Rick]

The mother of pearl scales are from plastic .

[Chris Evans]

Sajen,

Your navaja is consistent with those made in the first half of the 20th century in the Castilla La Mancha region . Because of its large size and engraving, it was intended either as a display piece or souvenir. By the 20th century, those intended for use seldom had blades larger than 6”.

I cannot make out from the photo if it bears a brand name or the ubiquitous “recuerdo” (souvenir). If there is a brand name, then I may be able to trace its origins better.

Cheers
Chris Evans

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Chris Evans

Sajen,

Your navaja is consistent with those made in the first half of the 20th century in the Castilla La Mancha region . Because of its large size and engraving, it was intended either as a display piece or souvenir. By the 20th century, those intended for use seldom had blades larger than 6”.

I cannot make out from the photo if it bears a brand name or the ubiquitous “recuerdo” (souvenir). If there is a brand name, then I may be able to trace its origins better.

Cheers
Chris Evans

Hello Chris,

thank you very much for your informed comment. The only word I can read is "Sevilla" near the pivot point. This is however in Andalusia.
The knife will be inspected when it arrives at it destination. When there is a brand name also I will show it here.
Thank you again for your helpful comment.

Regards,
Detlef

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Rick

The mother of pearl scales are from plastic .

Hope that the scales from my one are from real horn instead of plastic.

[Chris Evans]

Detlef

Originally Posted by Sajen

Hope that the scales from my one are from real horn instead of plastic.

The most common way of making a navaja handle was from a piece of horn, without liners, though some had liners as well, especially those made from stag antlers. Those three small pins, from the middle to the end, embedded in the handle suggest the presence of a liner, in which case the scales could well be plastic, but not necessarily. These days the firm of Exposito makes navajas with horn scales pinned to liners.

As for dating it with accuracy, very hard to say as these were seen as late as the early sixties, after which stainless steel blades tended to replace carbon steel. However, if the handles are plastic, then closer to 1950 than much earlier.

Cheers
Chris

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Rick

Here is a small relative . You can see the construction is quite similar although this one is only 6 inches opened . I'll guess this is a mid 20th century souvenir knife . The intaglio has been painted in quite nicely . I wonder if the one headed your way was similarly painted at one time .
My example is scary sharp .

Hello Rick,

this one was sold yesterday and was on my watch list.