Folding Knife

[Chris Evans]

Originally Posted by Iliad

Hi guys, in accordance with Jim's wish that I post pics of the items in my collection, here is a Folding Knife about which I know very little. It looks Arabic to me, but what do I know! The pics may at least go in the files and be useful for research in the future.
It does not have a mechanism for locking the blade in place, so surely wouldn't be of much use as a weapon. Too big for cleaning one's fingernails? Table cutlery? Too clumsy to use to spread jam on the bread and butter?
Regards to all my new friends,
Brian

Hi Iliad,

That looks like a mid to late 19th century Spanish navaja, perhaps from Sta Cruz De Mudela, a rival of Albacete, and judging by the decorated blade and good state of preservation of its edge and point, most likely intended as a souvenir or display item. The slipjoint, or perhaps demi-lock, reflects the ban, in most jurisdictions, on more effective locks, for it lowered the knife's potential as a weapon. Its overall style is a precursor to what nowadays in Spain is called an Arab style navaja, best exemplified by the wares of the cutler JJ Martinez. For a modern piece see: http://www.filofiel.com/tienda/produ...oducts_id=3530
For a similar period piece, I refer you to Forton's `La Navaja Española Antigua' pg243 Fig 112

It is a nice piece and worthy of any collection.

Cheers
Chris