Open Mouth Fish

[Highspeedsteel]

Here are some fun Open Mouth Fish I've been able to reel into the boat the past few years... if you have one you don't want anymore please keep me in mind. Some things I've noticed about these open mouths vs the more common "closed mouth" is the non radiused/squared top bolster (no gills ), deeper more pronounced "tail" bolster, and where the size variations of the 50s fish are 16, 20 and 25cms, these are 14, 18 and 23cm; pretty interesting. Anyone else have any they can share?

12cm PLP
14cm "Latama" Tony Scamdoval Special
14cm Unstamped
18cm "Latama" Tony Scamdoval Special
18cm Unstamped
20cm (real) Latama
23cm Unstamped

[Tom19176]

Nice group !!!!

[whippersnapper]

Great school!

[rock-n-roll$$$$$$]

I am hooked.

[jim d,]

Very nice group, and as you mentioned, they are the "open mouth" models. I see the group includes a PLP and a real Latama - not very common in open mouth fish versions at all! "Scamdoval" Thanks for sharing these examples from your impressive collection.

Jim

[Highspeedsteel]

Thank you everyone for the kind words... these fish are some of my favorite knives and it hasn't been easy to put this group together, considering only four of the seven are original (vintage) etc. There's got to be more out there and as time goes on, I'm confident they'll make their way to the surface for us to see

[rithvich]

It's a shame Tony S couldn't fly straight, his work is incredible. I've never owned an open mouth. There was one in a private collection I remember drooling over. I think it was pre 1950's and a multi blade camper model.

[Highspeedsteel]

There was one in a private collection I remember drooling over. I think it was pre 1950's and a multi blade camper model.

Wow! I'd love to see that one someday

[fastr19]

How can you differentiate a Sandoval from an actual Latama?

[Highspeedsteel]

How can you differentiate a Sandoval from an actual Latama?

The two smaller "Latama ITALY" stamped knives to the left were made from raw parts found by Lucio DiBon (I believe there were 100 total knives made?) about 15-20yrs ago... from what I have gathered, these fish were misrepresented as authentic and struck with a forged stamp showing the Latama stamp seen, by Tony Sandoval. I might have some of the specifics jumbled but I have assumed the two smaller fish are known fakes.

[fastr19]

Thank you Matt.

[john]

Very cool

[jim d,]

Alan,

Hopefully Mickey will jump in here. I seem to remember him being instrumental in identifying the counterfeits, but don't remember the specifics. If I recall, he could tell by looking at the stamping.

Jim

[Highspeedsteel]

There's a bit of interesting info in this old SD forum thread that does reference them as well, but I am 99% certain the two newer/nicer looking Latamas in the above pic are not authentic/vintage productions. You can feel the difference in your hands between even an Oreste DiBon fish and these (the Latamas are rougher and weren't thoroughly deburred like you find in most vintage knives).

http://www.sharperdeal.biz/forums/viewt ... ke#p179571

[sprink]

Very impressive group! Thanks for sharing.