Antique French-Style Hand-forged Folding Knife

Description

This antique folding knife is in unbelievably good condition, and can still be used today. In fact, it’s so good, that I wonder if it could be a contemporary piece. It’s sharp, and still tightens up perfectly when opened, or when closed. It’s marked, but I can’t find any mention of the maker, whether new or old. It is made in the 17th and 18th century French design, so I assume it’s French, but no doubt it’s European of some sort, of the same type which was imported to North America during the fur trade era. It’s marked “MARIGNAN” on the blade, though I haven’t found any positive identification or date for the marking – nor another example. These are so rare, this is actually the only one I’ve ever found, whether new or old. The only ones I’ve actually ever seen are dug relic blades, where the handles are long rotted away. This knife is almost like new.  A really sweet knife, whether for the collector, reenactor, or the woodsman. This was definitely a handmade, hand-forged piece.

It looks very much like a Jambette did Flatin. Knives of these types have been found on many of the early French-influenced archaeological sites in North America. It’s just really cool to have a working one in great shape.

Check out the blog post I wrote on French folding knives:

French Folding Knives, a.k.a., “Clasp Knives” in the Fur Trade