MYSTERY KNIFE

[dogwood]

THERE HAS BEEN NO HISTORY FOUND ON THIS KNIFE, OTHER THAN WHERE AND WHEN I FOUND IT. IN 1978 MY FAMILY MOVED INTO AN OLD FARM HOUSE IN NORTHEASTERN ARKANSAS. THE HOUSE HAD FIVE ROOMS, YEARS BEFORE I MOVED THERE, IT ONLY HAD THREE ROOMS. THE HOUSE WAS BUILT IN A "T" SHAPE, THE LIVING ROOM WAS WIDE AND LONG WITH A DOOR LEADING TO THE KITCHEN ON THE LEFT AND ONE LEADING TO THE BEDROOM ON THE RIGHT. BETWEEN THE TWO DOORS WAS A CHIMNEY WHICH WAS FALLING DOWN CAUSING THE WOOD FLOOR TO BE UNEVEN. WE HAD TO FIX IT. IN THE BEDROOM BEHIND THE CHIMNEY WAS A BIG WALK IN CLOSET I HAD TO GET EVERY THING OUT OF. AS I WAS CLEANING, I STEPPED ON A LOOSE BOARD. WE HAD TO TAKE THE BOARDS UP ANYWAY, SO I PULLED THAT PARTICULAR BOARD UP. I GOT A LIGHT AND LOOKED IN THE HOLE. THERE WAS A RAG THAT LOOKED LIKE A PIECE OF AN OLD COTTON PICK SACK. I REMOVED IT. AND THERE IT WAS, "THE MYSTERY KNIFE". I HAD NEVER SEEN A KNIFE LIKE THAT. I HAVE ASK A FEW PEOPLE ABOUT IT, AND SEARCHED THE WEB, HOPING TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT IT. I HAD NO LUCK FINDING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I WOULD LOVE KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS KNIFE. WHO MADE IT, WHERE DID IT COME FROM, AND WHY WAS IT UNDER THE HOUSE?

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b290/benkeihyobanshi/Picture111.jpg
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http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b290/benkeihyobanshi/Picture107.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b290/benkeihyobanshi/Picture106.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b290/benkeihyobanshi/Picture112.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b290/benkeihyobanshi/Picture103.jpg
The male figures on the handle have crowns on their heads. It appears there may have been a ring around the hand. The color on the handle has faded, which may indicate it had been used a lot. The blade is 14 1/4 inches long. From the handle to the tip of the sheath is 23 1/2 inches long. The leather on the sheath is not the original leather. I put that on there in 1979 because the original leather had deteriorated.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/dee870/knifepics005.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/dee870/knifepics011.jpg
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http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/dee870/knifepics022.jpg
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http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/dee870/knifepics024.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/dee870/knifepics025.jpg
http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n96/dee870/knifepics030.jpg

THANK YOU,

[Rick]

This is a Taiwanese aboriginal knife .
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2859&highlight=taiwan+aboriginal

You can find more info using the forum search function located on the banner at the top of this page . :)

[dogwood]

How old would you all say the knife is?

[not2sharp]

How old would you all say the knife is?

That is hard to say; but, it may have been collected by someone enroute to/from the Vietnam war.

I love the idea of finding stuff hidden under the floorboards. My old man was once on a works detail (mandatory public works assignment during the early months of Castro's government) tasked to remodel the recently nationalized parts of old Havana. They are tearing down an interior wall on a 16th century building when they discover a large cache of gold coins. There was no chance to identify the treasure; the security detail immediately cleared the work crews and by the time they return the loot is gone. So even the communist can be lucky at times; although, the world may have forever lost an interesting time capsule, or, the final resting place of Blackbeard's loot. :eek:

n2s

[Ian]

This is a type of Taiwanese knife made for sale to tourists. It is not strictly traditional in its style, especially the hilt. These became popular after WWII, notably from the late 1960s on. They come up on eBay quite frequently -- often misidentified as African because of the carvings.

This one probably dates from the late 1960s (circa Vietnam War era) but it could be a little earlier. I'm not aware of any of these appearing before 1950. Yuanzhumin might be able to provide more information about age, etc.

The blades are usually unsharpened and non-functional. I doubt the blades have been tempered although I've not tried to put an edge on one to find out what it can do.

BTW, the style of carving on your knife's scabbard and hilt is typical of Paiwan work. The slightly curved blade and open-faced scabbard with metal bands is consistent with Atayal work. So it is a hybrid of tribal designs. This is common with the knives prepared for sale to tourists. See this thread for discussion of tribal differences in Taiwanese knives: http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000858.html

Ian.

[yuanzhumin]

Hello Ian, Rick, Dogwood and Not2sharp,
I received a private email telling me about this knife and prepared myself to post on the forum, but Ian perfectly sumed up what I had to say in a much shorter and clearer way, so I have nothing to add, except that he put me out of work. :D
Best to all of you,
yuanzhumin