Unknown knife

[Freddy]

I found this knife some time ago. It has an old iron, single-edged blade and a wooden handle shaped like a horse's hoof. The handle is decorated with 4 pieces of bone (1 is missing) and a wellmade copper horseshoe. It also has a copper ferrule near the blade

Total length is 31, with a blade measuring 17,5 cm.

I wasn't sure where to put it : it could be European of not. (I contacted a Dutch auction house but in their opinion it's not Dutch).

Please look at the pictures and I appreciate your comment.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding001-10.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding002-12.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding003-9.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding004-8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding005-8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/keris_hanuman/Afbeelding006-4.jpg

[Henk]

Very nice knife, Freddy.

Just a lucky guess. Could be a knife of a horse blacksmith. They use chopping knives to cut the toe of the horse to fit a new horseshoe. In my opinion possibly a European or even Dutch knife.

[Atlantia]

Nice!
I think Henk is 'on the track' with his ideas, but I don't think it's a blacksmiths knife (for working use anyway, its too decorative!)
If I had to guess, I'd say it could be a working mans 'horsemans knife' possibly belonging to someone involved with working horses involving a platform where small tools could be stored rather than needing a more compact conbination knife/tool carried in a pocket.
I would guess: Dreyman, Wagoner etc.
Possibly a 'gypsy' caravan or coach?

This is assuming that its not a thin blade, and would be up to the tasks of trimming hooves etc?

Surely a Very desirable knife.

Regards
Gene

P.S. I just had a thought!
If the blade is thin and non-tool, then how about a 'food knife' for a coachman or similar?
It would slice a loaf and some cheese rather nicely!

I'm rather taken by the skill and knowledge of the carver. Notice the attention to detail in the correct nailing of the shoe, I believe the single front 'tab' makes it a front shoe. Do you notice that the carver has even included the inner shape of the hoof and the soft frog? The very areas that often need attention, scraping out, trimming, popping stones out of etc.
Lastly, as the detail is so accurate, it may be possible to attribute a country of origin using the shape of the shoe. The very pointed large front tab might not be coincidental.

[TVV]

I might be completely wrong, but the ferrule, the blade shape, the horse hoof and the bone inserts all suggest to me a Philippines origin. :shrug:
Regards,
Teodor