An Italian Regional knife: the Bergamasco - a little cabinet of curiosities

Interesting to read. Thanks

There is a dog called a Bergamasco; an old breed used by shepherds there. Do you know anything of them? Any details would be great if it is OK with you.
 
If you need a mop the dog will take care of it ! LOL I thought that my memory was right Take about a month to get him dry !
 
Thank you for posting this. I've enjoyed learning about Italian and French regional knives, this is a new one for me.
 
Hi!

@ Mete: Yes, you’re right, Milano has an old tradition of armatures and bladed weapons. A number of makers were active, some streets have been named after this. An interesting hall in the Sforzesco Castle Museum display a conspicuous number of those. I don’t have knowledge of any bladed weapons makers active today in Lombardy. Several knives makers are active instead and have regular exhibitions within the CIC (Corporazione Italiana Coltellinai) activities and initiatives. There are a number of ironworks shop and factories (from small to medium size) which still produce with the traditional technologies but, today, it’s more agricultural tools (forges) and fencing/bedding business in wrought iron.

@ ConBon: Thanks! Do that! It’s a very useful shape and some basic models are really affordable :thumbup:.

@ Traumkommode: Yes! We tease the French by claiming the Opinel was copied from Northern Italian peasants’ knives models, including the Bergamasco, which our emigrants brought with them :D.

@ Jackknife: You’re right, this handle shape it’s rather common in several Italian traditional models.

@ Flatblackcapo: Thanks! Glad you like the post. For me it’s a nice pastime to try writing something about the knives when have some time and feel I might have some interesting thing to share :).

@ Kitrobaskin: Thanks! Yes, Bergamasco is also a dog breed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergamasco_Shepherd. Mete is right! They are funny looking! I don’t know a lot about these. I am not so much into dogs, my family owed had a couple of German Shepherds when I was kid. We didn’t have more after they died :(. In the valleys here there is a championship tournament for shepherds every year. Very nice to see, the dogs are put to test in different abilities like grouping a herd, singling out one cow, driving the herd in line, etc.
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@ Pgockley: Thanks! Yes, it’s an interesting subject and, jokes and rivalry aside :), the similarities are quite many also when it comes to knives. Bergamasco it’s not very well known, that’s true.

Take care.
 
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Ciao, and welcome :)
I remember your thread about a hike not far from where I live, and very enjoyable posts and pictures :)
As for the pattern, I only handled a Bergamasco a couple times. Quite hand filling, and comfortable if picked in the right size (as for other frames, sometimes you really need to get "your" size to get the best of them).
For historical reasons, our country is full of regional patterns, some of which are somehow more popular, while others are quite uncommon nowadays. It's always good to read, learn, remember, and be tempted :rolleyes:

Fausto
:cool:
 
Hi!

@ Quattromori: Thanks Fausto :) ! Yes, Italy has a lot to offer also when it comes to regional/traditional knives. Alps are in my heart for many reasons but your island it's amazing. Bergamasco knife it's not so well known as the Sardinian blades but it comes with a great history. Thought it was nice to share :) ! Yes! It was the Cala Lunga Trail, near Capocaccia. Since years we spend our beach holidays there (Alghero) :thumbup:.

@ J D Wijbenga: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the post! :)

@ Deltaboy: Thanks! Yes, if you are talking about the knife, get one! It's a workhorse and comes rather inexpensive for basic models. If you talk about the dog, Mete is very right. They will suffer in too warm climates, definitely these are Alpine dogs :).
 
Wonderful thread Herlock! Sorry I missed it the first time around!!
I have just been sent a knife I am sure is Italian, and will start a thread for it soon!
Thanks for your very informative writing!!!
 
Outstanding post, Herlock, thanks so much for taking the time to put that together.

I enjoy reading these informative posts on regional knives on The Porch in conjunction with Google maps and Streetview open in another window, and flicking between them. That alpine area of northern Italy looks like such a beautiful region, steeped in history...

Some of those patterns are indeed, very reminiscent of the Opinel design and the Douk Douk blade shape, and I see on the map that Savoie is quite close by.

One of the things I love about studying and learning about the history of edged tools, is how very parochial regional patterns have spread and influenced and modified other patterns, as different human diaspora have dispersed over time.

Thanks again for the excellent read.
 
Well, photobucket is working again, so I can post my new/old knife!
Herlock, if you deem this inappropriate for your thread, I will move it!
It does suggest a different region!!(??)!!
So a stalwart member of BF and I found out we each had a knife that the other would like, so a trade was made! Thanks, Bob!!

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(The wee arrowhead - a bird point? - and the Sacajawea (sp?) coin, along with the engraved fruit knife were icings on the cake!)

I think the Horn-handled knife is an Italian Zuava. It is unmarked.
My friends, please add any information you have, and correct me if I am wrong!!
Thanks for looking at this great and informative thread!!
 
My pleasure Charlie, and thank you. I'm just glad that someone can identify it and add it into a collection after all these years. :D
 
Do you remember what year you found it, Bob??
 
Wow!!:eek:
Thanks for keeping it safe for me, Bob!!:D
I was 17 years old - 55 years ago!! You were a young man also!!??
I wonder if that knife came over to the USA with an Italian immigrant??
 
I was a mere 6 years old. :D My family had just recently bought the house. We had a play room in the attic and my brothers and I were playing with a ball. The ball went errant and when I reached behind some boards, I found a good sized box of goodies. :D Those knives were part of what I found. I also found in there a brass telescope, a sextant, some letters and a diary of sorts documenting travel aboard a ship.
 
BigBiscuit said:
I was a mere 6 years old. :D My family had just recently bought the house. We had a play room in the attic and my brothers and I were playing with a ball. The ball went errant and when I reached behind some boards, I found a good sized box of goodies. :D Those knives were part of what I found. I also found in there a brass telescope, a sextant, some letters and a diary of sorts documenting travel aboard a ship.
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Ooo woo cool.
 
A veritable treasure chest!! Way cool!!
You were born to be a knife collector, Bob. At 6 yrs old, I suspect it wouldn't take me too long to lose, break, give away or otherwise relinquish such treasures! Nice going!! I am honored to be the most recent keeper of these knives! I will do my best to maintain your tradition!!
 
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