Inscriptions in Navajas, for Chris and who else

[Chris Evans]

Hi cylord21

Originally Posted by cylord21

A bit late, but just in case you have not seen it, here is a link from the old forum wich display an interesting 55" navaja from Santa Cruz or Albacete with inscriptions and red enamel paint filling the decoration chiselled or engraved on the blade. http://www.vikingsword.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/001357.html

Thank you for reminding us. I do remember seeing that very old navaja. I am inclined to think that it was probably from Santa Cruz de Mudela rather than Albacete.

Of all the old navajas that I have seen, red was the only colour that I noted as having been used to fill in the engravings. It was only in the 50s and 60s the Spanish cutlers decided to put out polychromatic and very garish versions, using oil based enamels, all aimed at tourists. The vast majority featured the ever recurring "Recuerdo de..." (Souvenir of....) and all bore the Toledo brand, even if the cutler's workshop was in Albacete, the place that most came from. A few were quite decent but most were junk - In those decades the industry nearly disappeared.

Cheers
Chris