Dagger ID please

[Chris Evans]

Hi Atlantia,

Ah, I see. Does this type have a generic name?

In olden times knives were known by all sorts of colloquialisms, but that knife of yours probably would have been known simply as a "cuchillo", that is, a knife. However, as the case of Argentina clearly demonstrates, at various times it could have been also a "puñal" or a "daga" despite of strictly speaking being neither, not to mention a number of slang terms. Until WWI, the Spanish population was largely illiterate and as such much less concerned about linguistic accuracy and consistency than modern curators and historians.

So who carried this sort of knife? Was it commonplace for men to carry them or just specific sections of society (like the gaucho knives)?

After the ascendancy of the Burbons upon the Spanish throne just after 1700, all swords, fixed bladed knives and such like items were banned in Spain, at least to commoners. The bans were enforced with varying degrees of consistency ever since, but enforced they were and still are. So the short answer is that by definition, only outlaws and some of the (lesser) nobility would have carried them.

As an aside, it was on account of the ban on fixed blade knives that the large Spanish folding knife, the "navaja", was developed.

With the above said, there was a thriving industry in Spain from the 2nd half of the 19th century, mostly in Albacete, but also in Toledo, making "banned" articles for souvenirs, display pieces and export. Charles D'Ávillier and Gustav Dore mentioned these in 1862, in their published travelogue, Voyage through Spain.

Cheers
Chris