An old Navaja ... not Spanish ?

[fernando]

Hi, i need some help.
My only reference book is Forton's, and i don't see this Maker Marks there, neither a close pictured example.
The blade is 17,5 cms ( 7") long. The handle grips may be horn ... one is cracked and being glued. The spring has only one locking scoop, and the releasing device is an angled brass ring, functioning lever wise.
Any ideas on the provenance and aprox. age of this piece ?
I wuld be swo much obliged.
fernando

[Chris Evans]

Hi Fernando,

That "navaja's" overall shape and lock release is in accord with those made in France towards the very end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The lizard logo was used by the French (Thiers) cutler Tarry Levigne, active around that time, and I think that I can just make out some of the letters of his name in the pic that you provided.

Cheers
Chris

[fernando]

Thank you Chris, i knew you could help.
Full identification, all right.
I noticed the lettering besides the lizard only when i viewed the macro pictures for the posting in the Forum, but i couldn't ( and wouldn't ) figure out the full words without help.
Thank you very much indeed

[Chris Evans]

Hola Fernando,

Easy! Just looked in Forton's Navajas Antiguas/Las Mejores Piezas de Coleccion - Well worth getting if one is into navajas.

Another new book that may interest you is the one recently written by Abel Domenech: Dagas de Plata. It is the definitive work on Gaucho knives. You can find him on the internet. A friend showed me a copy and I was blown away. Unfortunatley for English readers, for the time being, it is only available in Spanish.

Saludos
Chris

[fernando]

Thank you
I'll go after both.
fernando