EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

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Oldreb
Posts: 58
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2016 2:02 am
Location: South Carolina

EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Oldreb »

I recently had the opportunity to obtain this unique, un-stamped early switchblade. It has previously been featured in articles by Francesco de Feo, in the December 2008 (No 42) issue of "Lame" and again in "Hachette," July15, 2015. It is 16.125 inches in length and weighs 13.3 ounces. It is the heaviest and longest switchblade in my collection. The handles are wood, possibly walnut. No pins were used in its construction, only screws. The liners and bolsters are steel. The knife does not have a lock tab or blade lock pin. Utilizing instead, joining notches in the blade and back spring to provide the blade lock when opened. The blade is opened by pressing the oval, nickel silver recessed button on the front scale. The blade is closed by pushing the ring on the end of the back spring at the butt of the knife downward. The matching button on the back scale is non-functional. I believe this knife was made circa 1870-1885 in Maniago. While the blade is of a style not commonly associated with Maniago the "fish tail" handle certainly is. It is my understanding that the reference in "Lame" to the blade being a "yatagan" style is an uncorrected error in the magazine. I view this knife as a prototype or transitional design where the firing mechanism was first placed under the top handle. There is no slide safety, as is found later on the Premiata Societa-Coop Maniago switchblade stilettos. As always, I welcome your comments and opinions. Thanks for looking, Wayne
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niceguy2
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by niceguy2 »

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing that one Wayne
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Oldreb
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Location: South Carolina

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Oldreb »

One additional picture
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rithvich
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by rithvich »

Hello Wayne! You made an outstanding pick up there! Never saw this one before, wish it wasn't such a rare treasure or I would ask you to send it to me for a week to check it out))

It could be Maniago but I'm not so sure, it does remind me of something I've seen before. I have some old Italian knife books I can dig out and take a look through. A knife hasn't come up to make me do that in a long time. The s.coop knives in those catalog images have sliding safeties, they just blend in with the stag.
Quaero
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Quaero »

I certainly enjoy seeing every type of automatic knife, but it's models like this one that really command my attention!!! I believe it takes years of collecting to appreciate how significant a knife like this is. Examples such as this one are the foundations for all the later automatic knives that we have come to collect and admire. And while I appreciate the knowledge of collectors and authors like Francesco de Feo, there are a small handful of collectors in the United States who actually own and have studied old Italian switchblade knives with more examples and thought than most of those fellows from Italy. With great respect for Francesco de Feo, my own humble opinion is that there is less than a 50 percent chance that this fine knife was produced in Maniago. Great score my friend.
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john
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by john »

What’s not to love? Simply fantastic addition to your collection.
I really like the blade, very cool shape.
Congratulations and thanks for posting your photos.
Your friend on the web's most friendly community on knives and blades,
John

Massachusetts Where Everything is Illegal or Taxed
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Chris51P
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Chris51P »

We r fortunate to have the depth of cutlery knowledge on this forum that we do. I'm sure we'll hear more info on this knife as we get additional impute from others. What a great find!
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rock-n-roll$$$$$$
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by rock-n-roll$$$$$$ »

what a beauty,and a handful,thanx Wayne.
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Oldreb
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Oldreb »

rithvich wrote: Sun Dec 27, 2020 5:35 pm Hello Wayne! You made an outstanding pick up there! Never saw this one before, wish it wasn't such a rare treasure or I would ask you to send it to me for a week to check it out))

It could be Maniago but I'm not so sure, it does remind me of something I've seen before. I have some old Italian knife books I can dig out and take a look through. A knife hasn't come up to make me do that in a long time. The s.coop knives in those catalog images have sliding safeties, they just blend in with the stag.

rithvich, thank you for your comments ! I welcome any information that you might turn up and I appreciate your interest in my knife.
Best Regards, Wayne
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Oldreb
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Location: South Carolina

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Oldreb »

Quaero wrote: Sun Dec 27, 2020 6:21 pm I certainly enjoy seeing every type of automatic knife, but it's models like this one that really command my attention!!! I believe it takes years of collecting to appreciate how significant a knife like this is. Examples such as this one are the foundations for all the later automatic knives that we have come to collect and admire. And while I appreciate the knowledge of collectors and authors like Francesco de Feo, there are a small handful of collectors in the United States who actually own and have studied old Italian switchblade knives with more examples and thought than most of those fellows from Italy. With great respect for Francesco de Feo, my own humble opinion is that there is less than a 50 percent chance that this fine knife was produced in Maniago. Great score my friend.
Quaero, thanks for your insightful and candid comments. I sincerely appreciate your interest and would welcome any further opinions / insights you might have about the knife. What I stated in my post is certainly not etched in stone as far as I am concerned, but you have to start somewhere, so I stated what information I had. I find the blade to be most interesting - I do not recall seeing one like it before. I am thinking it would be considered a dagger blade ?? No doubt, I am very proud to own this knife and look forward to learning more about it. Best Regards, Wayne
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Oldreb
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Oldreb »

niceguy2, John, Chris51P, rock-n-roll$$$$$$, My thanks to all of you for your comments and thoughts !!! I appreciate your interest in my knife very much and look forward to learning more going forward !!
Best Regards, Wayne
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fastr19
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by fastr19 »

Just when I thought I'd seen it all, or most of it......
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jim d,
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by jim d, »

What an amazing piece of switchblade history. It is always informative and a joy to see and read of the predecessors to the knives we collect. Thanks for sharing.

Jim
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sprink
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Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by sprink »

Fantastic piece of history, great documentation also . Thanks for sharing.
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Oldreb
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Location: South Carolina

Re: EARLY MANIAGO SWITCHBLADE

Post by Oldreb »

fastr19, jim d, sprink, Thank you for your comments I appreciate them very much. I think this knife is a very interesting part of switchblade history and I look forward to discovering just where it might actually fit in. I think it is safe to say that its blade lock mechanism did not prove out as a viable design long term. In my opinion, the lock design no doubt functions, but it is not as strong as a lock tab and pin. That said, given its size and heft, it would have surely been intimidating if deployed. Best Regards, Wayne
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