What information do's anyone have for this vintage knife?

[millerliteanyone]

I found this knife in a old barn last week while mushroom hunting in upper Michigan. The barn has been down to it's foundation since I can remember (over 30 years).  I really want to know what it is before I decide on a selling price. The entire kit is 20" and the blade is 14 1/4", tilts and has a name on the blade I can't read. I will not touch the condition to see if I can read it. The entire thing is made of very old wood and is very very sharp. I'm posting some pictures but am unable to make them any clearer. Thank you in advance.

[afantiques]

It may be my creeping senility but the pictures do not make much sense to me. It seems to have a wood sheath? with an odd handle and some other bits presumably including something that fits over the handle.

It seems to be on remarkable condition for something that has been in the open for years.

[journeymagazine]

At first I thought it might be a civil war Arkansas toothpick but besides looking in excellent condition for being outside 30 years - I don't think the civil war era knives had 'PAT. PENDING' stamped/etched on them.

And being in english - it can't be a Japanese short sword

But I like it because it is different - message me if you decide to sell it.

Good luck!

[maxine*j]

An "Arkansas toothpick" can be quite a long blade but it is a dagger, with a pointed straight blade.  This clearly is not that.

The first U.S. patent was issued in 1790, and items from the Civil War era most certainly carry both "patented" and "patent pending" marks.

[maxine*j]

Nor can I make heads or tails from the photos.  It's unfortunate that OP is unble to provide better pictures.

[millerliteanyone]

I appreciate all of your opinions and will post new pictures after wife comes home.  Yes it is a wood sheath and the blade is "hinged" but why, I don't know. Thank you very much

[18704d]

Just because you found the items in one location

doesn't mean they all belong together.

Perhaps you have parts to more than one different knife?

Or someone starting adapting a knife blade, and was starting with different parts from other knives?

?

Lynn

[millerliteanyone]

[18704d]

So now I see a complete handle

and a wooden scabbard / sheath to hold it?

?

Lynn

[deepseashadow]

it  looks like a damascus knive , yet it seems that it was machine made rather then hand. This is based on the rust and the folding pattern of the steel looks more      machine then human hands

[millerliteanyone]

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@18704d wrote:

So now I see a complete handle

and a wooden scabbard / sheath to hold it?

?

Lynn

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Yes,,,,,,,,,,Very good but I believe you are making fun when I am asking a serious question. There is a total of Three pieces to this thing and I do not understand why the blade is hinged? If the smallest wood piece was a intact piece of the handle then the blade coundn't open and I would just consider it a "old knife with a wooden sheath but what is the purpose of being hinged?  

[journeymagazine]

I could be seeing it wrong, but It looks to me like the knife isn't hinged, but where the handle is broken it still has a intact "rivet" (the round piece that holds blade & handle together) that allows it to 'fold'. If the handle was intact could it still fold?

[millerliteanyone]

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@journeymagazine wrote:

I could be seeing it wrong, but It looks to me like the knife isn't hinged, but where the handle is broken it still has a intact "rivet" (the round piece that holds blade & handle together) that allows it to 'fold'. If the handle was intact could it still fold?

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Thank you and I just got a few more pictures to assist in this mysery to me. No it would not "fold" or open if the small wooden piece was attatched but I do not see a break. I must add that this was not directly in the elements but in a small hidden cubby hole covered with a piece of old rusted steel. I will be going back soon just for the reason to look around closer. It is 6 hours north and  It is in the heart of Indian country and property has been in family forever , my Dad remembers going there very faintly and he is 80.

He said he never remembers a building so???

I just had neighbor take more pictures. THANK YOU ALL.

[millerliteanyone]

More new pictures

[all_fakes]

It may not be relevant, but the Marbles Company used to make a long knife that could be folded down into its own handle; this made it easier to carry.

Maybe this is something similar?

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