|
KNIVES
AND SPANISH CUTTLERY
The knives comprise important of the history of the
Humanity, since there are been and they are present partly important of
our daily activities; when we prepared the food, when we eat, etc, because
we always used the indispensable knife.
For centuries the knives have been having a fundamental presence in our
history and not only like domestic utensil, also like valuable defensive
weapon. Thus, the knives include a great set of beautiful pieces exits of
the skilful hand of the craftsman cutler, pieces as they are; daggers,
knives, daggers, swords, sabers, rapiers, machetes, fender guards,
penknife, letter opener, bistouries, axes, bayonets, scissors, goads,
estoques, stings, chuzos, knives, etc.
Pocket knive of Albacete
made artesan with reed-deer.
The knives are the pieces that we are going to
discover, from the history of one of the places of Spain that single to
name it evokes it to the utensil, Albacete. The short manufacture of
knives and other cutting weapons come from the moors inhabitants of that
zone manchega, since they were very capable artisan in forged and the work
of the knives and knives.
The classic knife appeared in Spain at the end of century XVI, of form so
generalized and practical that soon it extended by all our geography.
Becoming weapon necessary to guarantee the security before a possible
surprise attack, since the poverty of the moment did not allow the rating
of rural police, nor of public lighting system that guaranteed the
security citizen.
At those certain moments arms, like the swords and sabers, had reserved
their use for the noble class and the military service, whereas the
citizen of a foot, also needed to count on an equal instrument of
effective, then the knife arose. It was a weapon that in spite of its so
large minor had the advantage to duplicate it when opening itself,
simultaneously that weighed less, that did more bearable and easy to hide,
and sharpened well with acute end, its effectiveness had therefore the
assured knife.
Spanish pocket knive made
by the most prestigious artesan of Albacete.
The striker pin is known that or marks to engravings
in the leaf of the knives and knives or any other cutting weapon like
sabers and swords, is not more than the company/signature of its author,
that character identifier had its importance at certain moments of history.
Nevertheless, as much in Albacete as in most of Spain, during centuries
XVII and XVIII Centuries of Gold of the knives and knives of Albacete, the
mark or striker pin of the leaves did not practice frequently (except in
the scissors of crafts for tablecloth). Fact that helps the study of the
well-known units very little.
It had a little while in the history of the cutlery of Albacete in which
it fell so under this splendid art that was on the verge of disappearing.
This disappearance of the knives and knives was not happening only in
Albacete but that happened by all Spain, and some of their causes were;
the exhaustion of steel of Mondragón, the disappearance of the unions of
cutlers, the competition of the foreign cutlery, and the norms of the
monarchs who ended the manufacture, sale, use and possession of daggers,
knives, daggers, knives, etc.
Collection of pocket
knifes with the handle of bull horn
One of the prohibitions was dictated by Felipe V
(Lerma, 21 of December of 1721), in her prohibited "el use of daggers
or knives or other cutting weapons", in addition, in her "el was
prohibited use of daggers or knives or other cutting weapons", one
condemned with the pain of six years of military prison if he were noble
or of galera if were plebian the simple fact of apprehension with those.
During the following year the Council of Castile completed this order
notifying to the cutlers who did not make that type of prohibited cutting
weapons and that broke the existing ones.
Because of these and other legal dispositions that
prohibited the use of the knives, daggers, knives and daggers, the prizes
albacetenses craftsmen had to close their factories and to dedicate
themselves to other activities. But, the certain thing is that, with the
closing of the centers cutlers of Albacete it does not yield in absolute
the custom to take and to use knives. For that reason, it increased so
much the number of concerned knives of the foreigner, facts that can be
verified in Book of Commerce of Spain from 1850 to 1869.
This pocket knives is
called estiletes too.
A peculiar fact is to observe as the
gregarious spirit pronounced itself, so that the union of cutlers of
Albacete located their factories around a district. Perhaps by the easiest
location for that wished to find a knife or knife or any sharp instrument,
by the similarity of the industrial, economic and commercial activity, the
certain thing is that all the cutlers of Albacete settled in a same district
formed by the streets Shoemakers, Door of Chinchilla and San Agustín. There
apprentices of cutlers lived and coexisted masterful, official and.
The cutlers of Albacete of centuries XVII and XVIII already had a detailed
contract where the conditions of work between which it wished to form, the
apprentice, and the teacher settled down. It is mentioned that these
agreements were celebrated all before notary public (notary), with companies
of several witnesses, the writing contracted three inspectors; the teacher
or industralist, the father or tutor and the apprentice of cutler.
This pocket knife is an
old pocket knive.
The treatment was that the masterful cutler became
position of apprentice while lasted the learning, committed itself to
teach the office without leaving nothing to him, to give him to eat, to
dress to him, to wear to him, bed where to sleep and honest life. At the
end of the period of education it had to give him; a dress of cloth of the
Earth, ferreruelo, clothes, trousers, averages, shoes, hat, shirt and
Walloon, everything had to be new. It could not throw of its house, if it
were not by right cause, because it would have to pay to him what exactly
it had to him by the passed time.
The apprentice forced itself to live and to serve
in house of the masterful cutler, could not go away of its house and
service. If towards and he absented himself, the father committed itself
to make it return, to that the apprentice loses the served thing and to
pay to the damages and caused prejudices.
Life lasts the one of the cutler, almost always anonymous in its art and
effort, leaving its soul and effort in its works for the benefit and pride
of the others
[Home]
[Link
to us]
|
