Assistance please

David · 8th May 2017, 03:32 AM

Alan, these are outside my area as well as you probably know, but the second one you show looks like a form of gaucho knife to me and you my find this resource helpful.
http://www.vikingsword.com/ethsword/facon/criollo.html

A. G. Maisey · 8th May 2017, 07:55 AM

Its not a gaucho David, it actually came from Italy to New Zealand at the end of the 19th century, and had been in the family of the bloke I got it from for generations. I was told years ago that it is a "Mediterranean Dirk", but from what little of this stuff I understand that is a very generic sort of term. I reckon it is sort of a grandfather of the gaucho. I'm hoping somebody can tell me from where it originally came and about how old it is. I had a pretty good collection of gaucho knives at one time, not a lot, maybe 10 or 12, and this knife is similar, but much smaller, lighter, older than any of the gauchos I had.

kronckew · 8th May 2017, 12:10 PM

they both look mediterranean to me. big area tho.

i'd reduce that to italy and west thru spain.

A. G. Maisey · 9th May 2017, 10:15 PM

Thanks Kronckew, that's about my opinion too, but I'm hoping somebody might know a little more than that.

Henk · 10th May 2017, 03:10 AM

I think these knives are corsican vendetta knives. 19th mid 20th century.

A. G. Maisey · 10th May 2017, 03:36 AM

Thanks for your input Henk.

I have owned a few Corsican knives, got rid of the last one, which was a 19th century folder, about 40 years ago.

The workmanship in both these knives is far superior to any of the Corsicans I owned. The workmanship in the gilded dagger is exceptionally fine, that floral motif is chiselled steel, not quite the sort of thing we see in Corsican knives.

The other knife gives the impression of being very old, I hesitate to put an age on it, because as I've said, I know next to nothing about this sort of thing.

Corsicans came up for discussion here:-

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12269

I guess these knives of mine could be Corsicans, but if so, they are not at all typical.

Thanks again.

mariusgmioc · 11th May 2017, 09:49 AM

Hello Alan,

My guess is that the first one is an exceptional example of South Italian hunting dagger. Quite a beauty!

Unfortunately, no guess for the second one... but I don't think it is Corsican (don't ask me why because it is more like a hunch).

11th May 2017, 09:49 AM	#7
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,906	Hello Alan, My guess is that the first one is an exceptional example of South Italian hunting dagger. Quite a beauty! Unfortunately, no guess for the second one... but I don't think it is Corsican (don't ask me why because it is more like a hunch). Last edited by mariusgmioc; 11th May 2017 at 01:40 PM.

8th May 2017, 03:32 AM	#1
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,211	Alan, these are outside my area as well as you probably know, but the second one you show looks like a form of gaucho knife to me and you my find this resource helpful. http://www.vikingsword.com/ethsword/facon/criollo.html

8th May 2017, 07:55 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,990	Its not a gaucho David, it actually came from Italy to New Zealand at the end of the 19th century, and had been in the family of the bloke I got it from for generations. I was told years ago that it is a "Mediterranean Dirk", but from what little of this stuff I understand that is a very generic sort of term. I reckon it is sort of a grandfather of the gaucho. I'm hoping somebody can tell me from where it originally came and about how old it is. I had a pretty good collection of gaucho knives at one time, not a lot, maybe 10 or 12, and this knife is similar, but much smaller, lighter, older than any of the gauchos I had.

8th May 2017, 12:10 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	they both look mediterranean to me. big area tho. i'd reduce that to italy and west thru spain.

9th May 2017, 10:15 PM	#4
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,990	Thanks Kronckew, that's about my opinion too, but I'm hoping somebody might know a little more than that.

10th May 2017, 03:10 AM	#5
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	I think these knives are corsican vendetta knives. 19th mid 20th century.

10th May 2017, 03:36 AM	#6
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,990	Thanks for your input Henk. I have owned a few Corsican knives, got rid of the last one, which was a 19th century folder, about 40 years ago. The workmanship in both these knives is far superior to any of the Corsicans I owned. The workmanship in the gilded dagger is exceptionally fine, that floral motif is chiselled steel, not quite the sort of thing we see in Corsican knives. The other knife gives the impression of being very old, I hesitate to put an age on it, because as I've said, I know next to nothing about this sort of thing. Corsicans came up for discussion here:- http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12269 I guess these knives of mine could be Corsicans, but if so, they are not at all typical. Thanks again.