just got lucky and found another 2 which look to have quite some age to it and differ a little from the standard types...
Concerning the 2nd one; I think the leather scabbard does not belong originally to it, but I guess I might also be mistaken....:rolleyes:

your thoughts please, thank you very much!

This is a great topic, and in the height of coincidence, browsing through an antique shop yesterday, first time in many months, I found this!
As I mentioned, this is an intriguing area to me, very esoteric and little from this culture comes up except in far northern areas of US.

This small 'puukko' is apparently from far northern regions of Finland, in Sami inhabited regions known familiarly as Lapland. The Sami are of Finno-Ugric group who live also in Arctic regions of Norway, Sweden, and Kola Peninsula region of Russia.

As an animist society, the prevalence of symbolism and Noaidi (shamen) are notable, and as the reindeer is the mainstay of much of their culture, it is understandable that is often represented in their material culture.

As I understand (and always look forward to corrections as this is not a primary field of study for me) the puukko is a knife often in larger proportion than this one, which is small and in my perception probably for woodworking and/or detailed work, possibly even as used in eating trousseu.

These are believed to be termed lapinpuukko, while the larger versions used for utility and field dressing of game are termed leuku?

The length overall 8.5" with 3" blade, the scabbard and hilt reindeer bone, carved with reindeer, four petal flower (?) and curious heart shaped device.
As I was informed, this was along with several other items out of a museum in Michigan, and according to the curator late 19th c.

The painting of a Sami man , by Francois -Auguste Baird (1799-1882) was from his presence on a scientific expedition led by Joseph Paul Gaimard in 1839 to Spitsbergen and Lappland. His fiancee, Leonie d'Aunet published account in 1854 of this journey titled "Voyage d'une femme au Spitsberg", as had accompanied Baird.
Another painting shows a fight with polar bears, which were another local threat in these Arctic regions.

The styling of this puukko example is known as DUODJI, popular in Sami handicrafts. While the Christian Faith (Lutheran) is nominally followed, the animist religion remains traditionally in place, and references to sacred places termed 'saivo' are referring to locations where ritual practices take place. Naturally there are variations as those Sami who follow reindeer herds are nomadic while others are in set regions.

I hope this might just add some perspective I have found pertaining to these fascinating knives, and certainly has given me a deeper appreciation for them.

Images of the example I found, the Baird painting, and obverse side. In the figure, hard to see, is one of these smaller knives in the waistband.
With pink background, one of these in DUODJI context which has a small drinking cup attached.

Nice knife. Thanks for reposting these examples. From the little I know Sami does seem like a good bet. It looks backwards in the sheath. In some respects, it reminds me of knives marked Norge from Geilo Norway , but they always seem to have leather scabbards, brass ferules, and handles that bulge in the middle. The older versions do not have a ricasso like your examples. The reindeer theme is on both your examples and these commercially made knives. I do not know enough to speculate on the direction the scrimshaw type decoration traveled in culturally. Maybe this is why I have seen the Geilo knives mislabeled as Sami.

double....sorry !

there is a book in English and also German, next to a few in Finnish

whilst looking for some literature, I stumbled on this picture on the bottom;

somebody did find a cheap and very nice box filled with Finnish goodies in a second hand market...
most be a good surprise all of us can only dream about:)


some nice websites as well:
https://nordiskaknivar.wordpress.com...tional-puukko/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLnqr6IGVgs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGG0xWgw0UM

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/TUcwAj_7A5w

Thanks for the tip on the book, ordered it today. I was pretty excited to find the example I posted, hoping for some input, but with this book possibly can move ahead further. As I noted I find the history fascinating and especially so with my son in laws mother from Sami heritage.

also a nice version are the "double: ones: one small and one big Puukko

Hi,
I've got a couple of these Finnish and Norwegian I believe. I did have another one which I got in 1959 when my grandfather took me to Norway, I have Norwegian heritage via my father. I was only 7 yrs old but my grandfather said it was time I had a knife of my own, goodness knows what the current attitude would be!!!!! Unfortunately I cannot find my knife got lost over the past 60 odd years.
Regards,
Norman.


P.S. If anybody can i.d the maker of the Norwegian style knife I would be grateful.

could the name be Morakniv Garberg ? or maybe here is a name:
https://www.chuckhawks.com/scandinavian_knives-2.html

I used to have the top one in green; it was my mother's given to her by my grandfather in the mid 1930ies...
Unfortunately it got stolen when I was ridding on motorbike to the Adriatic sea 1985....I would have easily traded one of my yataghans to get it back but fortunately I found one in what was once the good Ol'U S of A and its on its way to me....

Is this a puukko?
 

Turned up in the grab bag of knives:

could the name be Morakniv Garberg ? or maybe here is a name:
https://www.chuckhawks.com/scandinavian_knives-2.html

I used to have the top one in green; it was my mother's given to her by my grandfather in the mid 1930ies...
Unfortunately it got stolen when I was ridding on motorbike to the Adriatic sea 1985....I would have easily traded one of my yataghans to get it back but fortunately I found one in what was once the good Ol'U S of A and its on its way to me....



Hi GP,
Thanks for your interest and the website link. I did look into the horse head Puukko sometime ago and determined it was possibly from the 30's, makes sense re your mother's. Thanks again .
My Regards,
Norman.

received a nice puukko, which was quite dirty and some rust, looked a little beaten up as if in had been throug several wars...:)

nevertheless managed to get it back to live;

it is 20 cm long
wooden handle with a thin leather piece wrapped around it
and a metal (iron) kind of button) on top
blade 2 cm wide
scabbard is simple yet has 2 pieces of decoration;

- a V-like decoration at the top
- a typical Finish decoration found on most puukkos

looks to me like a "working" tool, perhaps for the hunt or fishing ?
what do you think?

Hi GP,
Does look like a very workmanlike knife. I would suggest hunting and general utility as knives for fishing tend to be thinner and pretty flexible for gutting and filleting.
Regards,
Norman.

Hi,
The Finnish knife I posted, see below, I've discovered was made by Luomanen & Kumppanit of Kauhava Finland C1930. The company was active from 1922 to 1945. It is 7 3/4 inches overall with a blade just short of 4 inches.
Regards,
Norman.

could it be :

https://www.knivesofthenorth.com/collections/stromeng

My contribution of Finnish puukkos.

Variations and identifying
 

These are remarkable knives, and easy to see how they can become pretty addicting. One thing that puzzles me is the lack of interest in identifying them or finding historic examples that might show more period or regional images.

With my example, the only cursory reference in the book shown here suggests it is Sami of course, but from Lapland, presumably due to emphasis of reindeer in the motif often seen on them. The scabbards are presumably of carved reindeer horn or bone.

The lack might be explained by the fact that the Sami, one of the oldest cultures in Europe (even the Romans did mention them), sadly have been surpressed and discriminated against for a long time...till the late 80ies actually. Even although they are a very kind people with great hospitality

One from Sweden,manufactured by Erik Frost in Mora, Sweden, approximately in the 1950s.
The varnished wooden handle is fitted with a brass upper mount and a nickelsilver lower mount.
The bowie-shaped steel blade is marked by the manufacturer. The side-stitched quality leather sheath is finished with a sturdy leather belt strap.

Total length: 29 cm, Blade length: 15.5 cm Weight: 170 grams

Thank you for answering my post gp! It is much appreciated, I was hoping they were visible :)
Interesting that this culture was that old, but sad that they faced such discriminations. Man is not always human.

Still available resource Finish knives
 

Friends,

I’d like to second Rich S.’s recommendation for this book. As off September 2025, it is still available in paperback. The b/w images are a little hard to see but there is a great deal of useful information. I had no idea the history and variety if these knives was so rich. I would grearful to learn about similar resources for Sweden and Norway.

Dave A.

on Swedish knives:
https://themorakniv.com/
mail: info@morakniv.se

and 200 years Norwegian family Strømeng:
https://samekniv.no/
mail: post@samekniv.no