Balkan (????) knife
 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6613293604
What is so Balkan about it?
I do not like it at all: it is, to my mind, pretentious, tasteless and kitschy. Very souvenir-ish....

Dear Sensei,

It's me again :) Well I do not know. It looks to me crap also.

BUT

Take a look at the following poicture :eek: That is what you can buy in Montenegro as a souvenir and it is called: "THE NATIONAL KNIFE OF MONTENEGRO!!" Note the similarities: subject, style of guard...

Am I the only one to see the connection? I'm frustrated. Is there any remote possibilty that similar knives existed in montengro in the past and thatone from the auction is one of them and the on from tha photo is a modern reinterpretation?

Lebanese not Balkan
 

This is a Lebanese knife. The bird head shaped horn handle with colored inserets (corals original, plastic these days) is very typical motif ans and apears on many Lebanese daggers as well as eating utensils forks knives etc. from the second half of the 20 c.

See for example the handle of the right dagger (older and of better quality):

http://www.oriental-arms.com/photos/extra/73/000273.jpg

Well, as usual, we got the definitive answer. Thanks, Artzi.

Yes, I agree too, thanks Mr. Arzi.

I was wondering however if that montenegro national knife had some true predecessors... :confused:

reminds me of this current production bosnian knife:

http://www.valiantco.com/world/BosnianDamFS.JPG

Well, if this is the case, the dagger in question is indeed Balkan.
New or old?

I think the differentiating point here is the crossguard of the hilt. The Lebanese examples have a very consistant appearance whereas the ebay item and the new production knife do not have that crossguard...so are more likely related. As to new or old?????
cheers
DrD