Italian or spanish navaja old knife ?

[Chris Evans]

Originally Posted by francantolin

Hello everybody,

I would like your comments please about this folding knife,

I think it's an old piece ( maybe 19th century ?)
Is it more a spanish navaja or an italian model ? ( coltello romano )
Nice mecanism, seems made with hand made pieces,
it can be locked on three positions.

Thank's for your comments

It is Spanish, probably mid 19th century, but it would be good to have a detailed pic of the engraving on the blade.

Cheers
Chris

[francantolin]

Hello,

Thank you Chris !
I'll prepare that !

Kind regards

[kronckew]

Lot's of info on these ratcheting Navajas here on the forum, 'search' is your friend.

[francantolin]

Hello,

thank you too Kronckew,
I looked on some threads on the forum but didn't find this exact shape...
here some pictures of the engravings,
nice but ''nothing special'', the same on both side

[francantolin]

another old knife with nice engravings
maybe a spanish catalan knife
'' Qui mal gasta mal pasar ? ''

[fernando]

Qui(en) mal gasta, mal pasa.
Sort of; He who spends badly, badly will live .

[Fernando K]

Hello
"Q U I" is Italian, means HERE, in this world. Therefore, it seems to me that the razor is Italian

Affectionately

[Chris Evans]

Originally Posted by francantolin

another old knife with nice engravings
maybe a spanish catalan knife
'' Qui mal gasta mal pasar ? ''

The overall shape of the knife corresponds most closely to those of Sevilla. For reference see Forton's `Navajas Antiguas, Las Mejores Piezas de Coleccion'.

Catalan navajas generally have a different shape.

The inscription reads like misspelled Spanish. We have to remember that most cutlers were illiterate and engraved the legends by rote.

Cheers
Chris