Romanian Peasant knives

[Tim Simmons]

Look though my books I came across { The studio, Peasant Art In Roumania, George Oprescu, 1929 The Studio LTD 44 Leicester Square London.

Peasant is rather old fashioned I think Folk art is more Modern and the spelling of the country has also changed. I thought it a good idea to add the one photo of blades to this site. There are so many similarities to other nations knives far from Romania. Too me the most distinctive element is the scabbards . What do others see as similarities? Puuko knives?

[Rich]

To me (I collect Finnish puukko), the Romanian don't resemble most puukko any more than guardless knives from most everywhere. The sabbards are interesting though. thanks for posting.

[Edster]

This example shows a little closer to the iconic Finnish knife style. Nice design, but to me yet no cigar.

https://imgur.com/gallery/uJh6j

Ed

[ariel]

The only feature common to Romanian peasant knives and Finnish Puukko is the handle partially hidden in the scabbard.
But the same feature is seen in Central Asian, Afghani, Tibetan, Chinese, Buryat and likely many other utility and fighting knives. Even Caucasian shashkas use the same principle.
No cigar.

[Ren Ren]

I see in the photo a clear resemblance to the knives of the Ob Ugrians - Khanty and Mansi. Together with the Hungarians, they are part of the Ugric branch of the Finno-Ugric family. Before the Second World War, Romania was a multinational state - in addition to the Romanians, many Hungarians, Germans, Gypsies, Slovaks, Jews, Russians lived there. It would be good and correct to clarify in which part of Romania the ethographic material that we see in the photo was collected.

[Edster]

The caption of the photo says the Huniedoara District. This area has long been a major iron, tools and weapons producing area. Also, Hungarians were/are a significant minority. Knife makers of various cultural memories/expressions likely thrived there for centuries.

[ausjulius]

the knives are hungarian... although similar knives are made all through these mountain areas with some variation in blade shape. ther eis also similar walking stocks and similar axes made in these regions too.. i would say there probably genetically is a some sort of common ancestor far in the past or at least some common ancient culture all these poeple in this mountainous eastern European region share and so even if they are hungarian. slovak, romanian.. et ect the mountain people all seem to have some distinctly common customs the lowlanders lack.. id bet study of ancient matrelinial dna would uncover something

[Ren Ren]

Originally Posted by Edster

The caption of the photo says the Huniedoara District. This area has long been a major iron, tools and weapons producing area. Also, Hungarians were/are a significant minority. Knife makers of various cultural memories/expressions likely thrived there for centuries.

Thank you very much Edster! It was extremely interesting to learn about this region on the edge of Transylvania, on the natural frontier between steppe and wooded mountains, between nomads and highlanders.