Navaja, opinion requested

[Chris Evans]

Fernando,

Shouldn't this thread be in the Ethnographic forum? That is where past postings on navajas ended up.

Cheers
Chris

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by Chris Evans

Fernando,

Shouldn't this thread be in the Ethnographic forum? That is where past postings on navajas ended up.

Cheers
Chris

Hello Chris,

I was unsure where I should post this thread.

Regards,
Detlef

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Chris Evans

Fernando,

Shouldn't this thread be in the Ethnographic forum? That is where past postings on navajas ended up.

Cheers
Chris

I f you say so, Chris
If you don't mind, Dtlef

[Chris Evans]

Fernando,

You are the boss here, I was merely trying to be helpful!

Here I list two of my more attractive enameled navajas. I suspect that both originated from Santa Cruz De Mudela around 1950. The unusually high level of workmanship points the finger at Julian Galvan or someone he taught. Perhaps Carlos can throw some light on them. They both have 6"carbon steel blades, liners and back spring, as well as bolsters (virola y rebajo).

The only legible inscriptions are Sevilla and E Leon (The rest was abraded out during grinding)) on the one with the Giralda and the other only bears the ubiquitous faux Toledo targetting tourists.

Cheers
Chris

[Sajen]

Wow, two beautiful navajas!

[Chris Evans]

Detlef,

Thanks for the compliment, they are indeed a level above what was being sold in the old days.

But I feel a bit silly. I had the answer to one of my questions all along in one of my books. "E Leon" was most likely the cutler from Santa Cruz whose full name was Enrique Leon Lopez, active in the 1950s. There are other navajas of similar high quality in existence, all bearing the same inscription.

Cheers
Chris
PS My source is La Navaja De Santa Cruz De Mudela

[Sajen]

The navaja has arrived at it's destination. The scales are fortunately from horn, at a small area bugs have done their work.
The inscriptions are "La Giralda" at the tip of the blade and above from "Sevilla" is to read "armeria" bordered with two "z" which mean "weapon shop" when my translation is correct. So it is maybe indeed a display piece!?
Here some more pictures.

[Gavin Nugent]

One of my first loves in weapons was the Navaja and Sword cane...just something about them.

The one pictured reads CUCHILLERIA GAVILAN STA CRUZ de MUDELA and is of the place and period Chris writes about.

I've had many Navaja and one that sticks out in my mind was of the exact same profile with a beautiful panel of script that read;

"Cuando acaricia mi mano"
"la cacha de esta navaja"
hasta los valientes tiem?lau"
"al ver mis bravas houzanas"

It was manufactured by Alvaro Garcia Albacete and is thought to pre-date these by many decades.

Good to see you here Chris.

Gavin

[Chris Evans]

Originally Posted by Sajen

The navaja has arrived at it's destination. The scales are fortunately from horn, at a small area bugs have done their work.
The inscriptions are "La Giralda" at the tip of the blade and above from "Sevilla" is to read "armeria" bordered with two "z" which mean "weapon shop" when my translation is correct. So it is maybe indeed a display piece!?
Here some more pictures.

"Aremeria Z of Sevilla was a sports store and a branch of Deportes Zulategui. According to this website, it was et up in 1945 and has ceased trading: http://www.sevilla.org/urbanismo/pub...ur/CAS_278.pdf


According to this webpage, Deportes Zulategui it is still trading, but not as Armeria Z: http://www.citiservi.es/sevilla/depo...82385_247.html Perhaps you can drop them a line and seek more information.

From the above we can confidently say that your navaja was made under contract, probably in Santa Cruz De Mudela, to be sold by Armeria Z post 1945.

Cheers
Chris