A GREAT CATCH
IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO KNOW WHO MADE THESE, HOW MANY YEARS THEY WERE MADE AND HOW MANY WERE MADE.
JUDGING FROM THE QUALITY OF HORN CARVING, SILVER WORK AND BLADE WORK (SOME WITH FANCY INLAY OR ENGRAVING) AND EVEN THE LEATHER SCABBARDS THAT SOMETIMES ACCOMPANY THEM. THAT MEANS A VERY HIGH QUALITY SHOP WITH SEVERAL HIGHLY SKILLED ARTISTS WORKING IN SEVERAL FIELDS. THESE WERE MADE FOR THE ELITE OR HIGH RANKING OR PRESENTATION SO THERE SHOULD BE RECORDS OF ALL SUCH SHOPS ITS OWNERS AND NOTED CRAFTSMEN.
I ONLY HAVE ONE IN MY COLLECTION AND PHILIPPINE KNIVES OF THIS QUALITY ARE FEW AND COME IN A VARIETY OF FORMS BUT THE WORKMANSHIP ALWAYS LOOKS SIMILAR. I SUSPECT THERE WAS ONLY ONE OR TWO SHOPS MAKING THIS QUALITY OF KNIFE.