Dating an older Opinel

John T. Jeffery

John T. Jeffery

Joined
Jul 15, 2006
Messages
240
I recently purchased an older No. 9 Opinel (carbon steel blade) at a gun show for $10.00. The main differences with my newer Opinels (this is my third) are:
1) The lock ring does not lock the blade in the closed position,
2) The words "La Main Couronnee" (translation: crowned hand) appear under "Opinel" on the handle,
3) The words "MADE IN FRANCE" appear over "Opinel" on the handle, and
4) These words along with the usual crowned hand logo are surrounded by double lines in a round cornered rectangle.
None of the above is true of my two newer Opinels.
Can anyone on this forum tell from this anything about the age of this Opinel?
 
You might ask on the Bernard Levine collectors forum.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=691

Read his sticky "how to ask questions that get answered" at the top of his forum before posting the question.

Folks will need pictures to give an accurate answer. Load pictures on a hosting site like photobucket, then you can put the images in your post.
 
Thank you for this advice! Mr. Levine told another inquirer to, "Ask Opinel!" so I did just that. I just sent the Opinel Museum a letter. Perhaps I should have done that in the first place! :-)
 
"...Can anyone on this forum tell from this anything about the age of this Opinel?..."
- John T. Jeffery

quite an original question you have posted.
it's a first!
btw, if it's any help to you. some material can be read from the opinel museum
www.opinel-musee.com/uk/il4-knife_p20-joseph-opinel-and-the-crowned-hand.aspx
Photograph of "Display presented at the international exhibition of Turin in 1911"
www.opinel-musee.com/InfoliveImages/rubriques/histoire/1911vitrineturin.jpg
 
Thank you for pointing me to the Opinel Museum. I had visited that site before, but on your recommendation I went through the material there again. Information there may date the manufacture of this knife as 1985 or earlier.
 
glad to be of some help.
it's not everyday that such a question pops-up, especially so when it happens to be an Opinel.

btw, there is a French language Opinel forums.
so if can par la vous francais...
http://fpanda.free.fr/punbb/index.php
good luck in your quest.
 
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