All About Pocket Knives

Hi! New user. Anyone know about "grape" knives? I bought one(?) @ a show here in TX last month. It's a folder, lockback, & looks to be 19th century(?). Found some modern ones online, but not folders. I have a large collection, & would like to know more about this one. Thanks, Sue.

Grapes alright.

Welcome to the forum Sue! I have a knife almost identical to yours in size and shape.I always heard them referred to as harvesting knives although they were primarily used for grape harvesting in Italy and likely other countries.Far Eastern countries supposedly use them to harvest opium poppies although they could be used for just about any type of harvesting. Usually they are about half the size of yours(and mine)and do not have the lock on the top but rather are made of a single piece of horn sliced down the middle and have a piece of bent metal to act as a blade stop and reinforcement of the pivot pin.
Most of them are hard to date;especially the smaller and cruder ones as the design goes back hundreds of years.I think the locking versions likely date to the middle of the 19th century forward.Here is a picture of mine;the background is 1 inch squares to give you an idea of it's size.

Thanks, I think yours is in a LOT better shape than mine! I saw mine and just couldnt resist buying it. Probably spent too much, but it looks so cool! I went thru the forums & found the markings (on yours?) so mine's more than likely the same. (btw it was $75) (too much?)

easherps wrote:Thanks, I think yours is in a LOT better shape than mine! I saw mine and just couldnt resist buying it. Probably spent too much, but it looks so cool! I went thru the forums & found the markings (on yours?) so mine's more than likely the same. (btw it was $75) (too much?)

The price on any knife to me is always subjective.If you like the knife and didn't feel that was too much to pay for it then it was not too much. When I look at a knife I try to gauge how much I am willing to pay for it without the thought of whether I can sell it for the same price or more.
Someone told me once that the true value of a knife(or any other object you may care to name)is what the buyer is willing to pay and the seller is willing to let it go for.
I don't recall what I paid for mine(it is written down in my inventory sheet)but I bought it because it was unusual enough that I liked it and wanted it for my collection.
A case in point:I came across a relatively rare KA-BAR folding hunter that was in very nice condition.The asking price was $265. I rarely pay that much for ANY knife and initially passed on it. The next day I got to thinking:The last time I had an opportunity to buy one like it was 25 years prior and the price was double that. I went back and bought it for $250 and on the way home stopped at a friends house.He offered me $100 more than I had just paid for it! I turned it down only because I don't buy knives to re-sell. I never did look up what it currently books for as I'm really not interested.
My only advice would be to get as much knowledge about ALL knives as you can if you plan on doing any serious collecting.Join as many forums as you can and ask plenty of questions.Buy books on knives when you see them.I've been doing this since I was 10 years old which works out to about 59 years and i'm still learning.

Well, I'm 53, & don't plan on collecting a whole lot more, but you never know. I currently have about 200 & collect what I love which works for me, condition not withstanding. I'll leave the collection to my grandchildren & let them "duke it out"!

Hi:
Not sure I will ever understand the need for a lock open on these knives as you are pulling against opening when using anyway. This is a smaller one at the shown dimensions. It has Horn handles. I believe it was made in early part of 19th century or possibly even before. Looks to have hand made rivets and back spring with hand forged and hammered saber ground blade. If you like your piece you are happy with a great deal if not your seller was a happy camper. Hopefully both went home happy with the outcome.
As far as the use of knife I have been told they were used in all phases of the crop from the pruning of the vines through the stringing of the tendrils, thinning of the grapes to the cutting and harvesting of the fruit.
moss

Nice one Moss! Here is another smaller version(non locking)with a simple piece of steel bent around to form a bolster and blade stop.The other 2 knives are newer pruners.

You will see a lot of these on ebay France. The kind of things which are sought after are Victorian quill cutters with the sliding knives, pre 1900 British folding knives especially multi- blade examples and bowie and hunting knives. Have a look on ebay France for values.