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**LARGE**1904-1930 French Made Beauvoir Spanish Import Navaja Folding Fighting / Utility Knife With Trade Marked Sharp Scimitar Form Blade, Decorated Polished Horn & Brass Section Scales. Sn 21966:8 - 21966:8 The Navaja is a traditional Spanish folding-blade fighting and utility knife. One of the oldest folding knife patterns still in production, the first true Navajas originated in the Andalusian region of southern Spain. In Spain, the term navaja is often used to generally describe all folding-blade knives. The etymology of the word navaja is derived from the Latin novacula, meaning razor, and the Andalusian knife known as the navaja is thought to have derived from the navaja de afeitar, or straight razor used for shaving. Like the straight razor, the navaja's blade folds into the handle when not in use. In Spain the navaja epitomized the concept of a defensive knife to be carried at all times on the person. The design is thought to have been first adopted by the working classes - mule drivers, teamsters, artisans, and sailors as well as by the majos, the "gentlemen of the lower class" of Andalusia. Its association with barateros, pícaros, jácaros and rufos (gamblers, rogues, ruffians, and thugs) comes from its frequent use as a weapon of the underworld, where it was often used to enforce the collection of gambling debts or to rob innocent victims. At the end of the 19th century, French cutlers started mass-producing millions of navajas, and eventually drove the Spanish artisanal production out of business. This quality made example is one of the French export Navajas made by the French Cutlers Beauvoir who made these knives between 1904 & 1930 for the Spanish market. The razor sharp steel blade in scimitar form is 7 ½” in length, 1¼” broad at its widest and the spine is 3mm thick. The blade has dark age related staining consistent with age and one side has the company trademark of the French maker Beauvoir. The knife measures just under 16 ¾” overall length when open. The knife has Polished Horn scales set on a brass frame & secured by dome head brass pins. The polished horn sections have attractive typical naïve foliate hand applied decoration. On one side, one horn section has an inlaid white metal shield escutcheon. On the same side the edge of one piece of horn has a small chip to one edge and another has an old stable repair with one dome head brass pin being replaced by a steel pin to secure a small crack. All of the sections are totally secure. The bolsters are brass. The price for this attractive fighting / utility knife includes UK delivery. Sn 21966:8 (in folding knives drawer office)
£395.00 |
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