Unusual Bulgarian Knife

[gp]

Originally Posted by eftihis

.....
What is very interesting is the ending of the handle where we can see a lion holding an open book, an image that reminds me very much Venice.
Propably then, it comes from an area of the Balkans that was once under venetian domination or influence, and this design just continued to be made because of habit even in the 19th century under Ottoman domination.

you're 100 % correct: it is indeed Venetian and can be found all over the Southern part of what was called the Dalmatian coast.

You can see the Venetian Lion in Southern Croatian Adriatic towns; specially the gates, coinage (coins used in Croatian Dalmatia), etc.
But also Kotor or Cattaro as it was called in the past in today's Montenegro ( picture of the Medieval city wall) when the Venetian Republic covered both sides of the Adriatic Sea as can be seen on the map

and could have easily travelled its way later through the Mediterranean to Crete , to the likes of Captain Michaelis ( with thnx to and reference to Nikos Kazantzakis!☼)

[Ian]

Most interesting discussion. Thanks to all for their contributions!

I'm not sure whether this topic is better suited to the European Forum, but it is certainly ethnographic and can stay here, particularly as we compare these knives to similar ones used elsewhere.

Krockew has already noted similar knives in SE Asia/southern China. The blade form and shape of the hilts shown here are indeed reminiscent of work knives in mainland SE Asia and more widely in the region. In the Golden Triangle area these are still used in opium farming, and similar style knives were used by scribes in the past to incise text on palm leaves.

This simple folding design with a sturdy clipped blade seems to have been recognized as a useful utility knife for a long time in widespread areas of the world.