South African Navaja for comment

fernando · 7th March 2006, 07:59 PM

Sorry to interfere.
It is indeed fascinating that this spanish navaja ended up in SouthAfrica.
Forton assures that national production was so short, comparing to local demans that, in fact, during 1850-1869 ( there are no prior registration records ) Spain has imported an average ( imagine ) one million navajas per year ... no razor specimens included ( the name navaja actually comes from a type of razor blade ). Instead, their exports were minimum and practically directed to Portugal.
So hardly this is a trade piece ?
I have resided in Durban for a couple years, working with Afrikaaner coleagues. Their language is fascinating, both sound and construction wise.
But it appears that afrikaans started to be written in Latin alphabet long after the Boer war, like around 1850... as it was written in Arabic before, for circumstancial reasons. Could it be that the inscription is from an iliterate ( like the majority at the time ? ) doing "verbal" writting ?. Couldn't an "official" text be close to VAN A BOER (IN) WAAR ?.
But then, if this specimen is "from a true Boer", doesn't this mean this is a presentation navaja, from a Boer to somebody, probably another Boer?
Such an interesting piece.
Sorry again to have interfered.

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7th March 2006, 07:59 PM	#9
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Sorry to interfere. It is indeed fascinating that this spanish navaja ended up in SouthAfrica. Forton assures that national production was so short, comparing to local demans that, in fact, during 1850-1869 ( there are no prior registration records ) Spain has imported an average ( imagine ) one million navajas per year ... no razor specimens included ( the name navaja actually comes from a type of razor blade ). Instead, their exports were minimum and practically directed to Portugal. So hardly this is a trade piece ? I have resided in Durban for a couple years, working with Afrikaaner coleagues. Their language is fascinating, both sound and construction wise. But it appears that afrikaans started to be written in Latin alphabet long after the Boer war, like around 1850... as it was written in Arabic before, for circumstancial reasons. Could it be that the inscription is from an iliterate ( like the majority at the time ? ) doing "verbal" writting ?. Couldn't an "official" text be close to VAN A BOER (IN) WAAR ?. But then, if this specimen is "from a true Boer", doesn't this mean this is a presentation navaja, from a Boer to somebody, probably another Boer? Such an interesting piece. Sorry again to have interfered.