Vendetta dagger new purchase.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Sajen

... The examples for souvenir developed from real weapons...

Detlef, may i suggest that it is well established that these knives are a product motivated by romanticized sources and were never real weapons. We can read publications (New York Times 1881 for one) in that vendettas were perpretated mostly with period muzzle loading guns, not daggers.
Let me hijack a translation made by Chris Evans from Spanish Abel A. Domenech's Book Navajas/Cuchillos Plegables):

The successful publishing of the novela "Colomba" by Prospero Merimee in 1840, introduced large numbers in France to a highly romanticized rendition of Corsica, with its passionate and quarelsome inhabitants. This distorted presentation exalted the fierce and indomitable bandit, ever ready to shed blood in the defence of his land, family relations and honour. The general impression conveyed was that the whole population of this island was permanently embroiled in vendettas, the causes of which were buried in the mists of time. What is certain is that whatever vendettas there were, were prosecuted mostly with the muzzle loading guns of the day. But popular romantic notions demanded nobler weapons, and the novelae authors obliged with swords and gigantic folding knives.

The cutlers of Thiers could not ignore the commercial opportunities presented by all this combined with the then emergent tourism to the island; As such, we find that the most peddled souvenir, to visitors, was the folding knife allegedly used in the aforementioned feuds.

To satisfy this new market, the cutlers of Thiers settled on a folding knife that many years before was sold in the Mediteranean regions under the name of "Maltes" and "Neapolitan". It had a long slim and pointy blade, the handle of which was provided with a large metallic bolster and a backspring that affixed it in the open position. The scales were of horn or bone, decorated with arabesques and floral motives, drawn with Indian ink, and with the ever present Moor's Head (Tete de More), the emblem of the island. The blades are nearly always acid engraved with popular captions that encapsulate imputed popular sentiments such as "Vendetta Corsa", "Death To My Enemy" and so on.

The introduction of this knife met with enormous commercial success and the format was and is manufactured to this day in sizes ranging from the diminutive to very large, over 60cms, specimens. This imposed upon the popular mind the form of the native Corsican knife, what it ought to be, which became and remains an icon of the island.

[Sajen]

Hello Fernando,

Could it be that the quoted article speaks about the folding knives like shown by these examples in the pictures?

Regards,
Detlef

[fernando]

Then you would have two styles of Vendetta Corsa .
If you care to pay a little attention to the link in post #13.
Mind you, i am no authority in this subject ... at all. Just trying to reach conclusions.

[Sajen]

Originally Posted by fernando

Then you would have two styles of Vendetta Corsa .
If you care to pay a little attention to the link in post #13.
Mind you, i am no authority in this subject ... at all. Just trying to reach conclusions.

I'm certainly not an expert on these knives either Fernando!
But in this link is also written that Corsica was long time under "Genoan domination for centuries" and you surely aware about the Genovese stiletto so for me it's nearby that the Corsican stiletto knives erose from them and thus you have real antique examples.
Attached are a few Genovese examples.

Regards,
Detlef

[fernando]

Yes but, those are not named Vendettas. Such name was attributed later to these beautiful souveniers for commercial purposes, after Prosper Merimee wrote the novel Colomba. Apparently not that he narrated revenges being executed with daggers, but instead firearms, as we may read in a determined paragraph of the novel.
I guess i would not link one to the other.
But again, i know nothing ... and appologize for all this hijacking David's thread. .


.

[kronckew]

A pair 'modern' folding Corsican stylet with the acute triangular edge and spine, from a dealer in Corsica, who got them from one of the last 'traditional 'Stylet' (stilleto or 'vendetta) makers on the island. Went back later to buy a fixed blade version recently, but can't find the dealer now. The Wood gripped one has the 'spanish notch' and no lock, The white bone one doesn't have the notch, but has a back lock.

[kronckew]

Aha - found the dealer again.
Ordered this fixed blade one, horn grip: (nicer box too)


Inspired by a strongly identical dagger, also known as "the respect-bearer,
this knife features a horn handle with a turquoise finish at its tip.

Fixed blade 14 cm (5.5 in.): semi-guilloche
Dimension: 23 cm (9 in.)
Weight: 86 g (3.03 oz.)

[David R]

Originally Posted by fernando

... and appologize for all this hijacking David's thread. .
.

No need for apologies, I actually hoped to start a long discussion thread with my post.

What I see are two distinct styles of dagger, the fixed blade and the folder, and I have no argument with the folder being a late creation of and for the market.

The fixed blade "Stiletto" is evidently a form of Mediterranean dirk with a long ancestry, and the etching being a promotional aid to boost sales. A bit like the mottoes on Sheffield Bowies, that were non the less carried in the US during the Cowboy era.

[fernando]

Sure thing, David