late fathers knife

Jim McDougall · 3rd January 2005, 09:54 PM

Qtinc,
Most unusual! This is a fascist officers 'pugnale d'ordinanza' from c.1935, of Mussolini's forces. Note the Italian fasces emblem. The 'fasces' was an interesting form of 'weapon' in itself...a ceremonial emblem of power borne before the Roman magistrates, made up of a bundle of rods as a haft for an axe head (fascis= bundle or pack, Latin).
Examples of these can be seen in "Armi Bianchi Militari Italiane 1814-1950" by Cesare Calimandrei, Firenze, 1987, p.175, figs. 1,2,3.

Best regards,
Jim

3rd January 2005, 09:54 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,670	Qtinc, Most unusual! This is a fascist officers 'pugnale d'ordinanza' from c.1935, of Mussolini's forces. Note the Italian fasces emblem. The 'fasces' was an interesting form of 'weapon' in itself...a ceremonial emblem of power borne before the Roman magistrates, made up of a bundle of rods as a haft for an axe head (fascis= bundle or pack, Latin). Examples of these can be seen in "Armi Bianchi Militari Italiane 1814-1950" by Cesare Calimandrei, Firenze, 1987, p.175, figs. 1,2,3. Best regards, Jim Last edited by Jim McDougall; 3rd January 2005 at 10:05 PM.