Hi Yannis,
Another Frenchie - This time from Thiers. Forton simply refers to it as 19th century. My guess is that it was made in the second half of that century.
Lock appears to be what I call a demi-lock, that is, the blade can be closed by downward pressure alone, though a considerable force has to be exerted.
Knives like these were very popular in Spain, where they largely displaced the native product on account of better quality, price and the absence of a full lock, which was illegal in most jurisdictions. The issue of the lock, as the lethal thrust depends on having one, was central to Spanish legislation governing folding knives ever since the 18th century when the navaja made its appearance due to the then newly enacted weapon bans.
Cheers
Chris
|