It's a Sabatier..... but not as we know it......

I'mSoSharp

I'mSoSharp

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Mar 8, 2011
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At a flea market today (in Spain) I picked up this knife, I always pick up a carbon sharps of any kind if the price is right so thought this was a nice large knife to add to my kitchen. When I got it home I could see the very faint stamp (very difficult to photograph) & was surprised to see Sabatier, OK I now know from Googling there are many manufacturers using that famous name & this is "Sabatier Trumpet France", but I cannot find anything quite as "rustic" as this.
It's actually a nice blade, it has a full distal taper & the handle isn't as rough as it looks. Anyone any info?

Please ignor the rough Estwing hammer!
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Thanks.
 
That's a great find.

There were more than 30 manufactures licensed by Sabatier to use the name. Most were based in Thiers, France. Trumpet (and Trompette) trademarks were used from 1846 to 1941. Yours is a traditional French pattern Butcher's knife. Knives referenced below were possibly meant for export.

Levine's Guide to Knives and Their Values (4th Edition)

"In the United States up through World War I, the standard French-made Sabatier chef knife was the Trumpet Brand, La Trompette. Goins states that this was J. A. (John Augustine) Sabatier's own brand, and remained in his family until 1920. From 1920-1941, it belonged to a Louis S. M. Pouzet. Trumpet Sabatiers have high quality lightweight blades, but their one piece ebony handles are weak and brittle."

One of the few companies I have found that is still making similar patterns with traditional wood handles is Au Sabot in Thiers.
 
Thank you marchone marchone , hard to believe it's 80ish years old though, it doesn't appear to have been used so maybe it's been stored in favourable conditions?

I'll try & take some better images!
 
Very nice. How long is the blade? I like the brass ferrules on the pins.

It looks like a carcass splitter. Would make a good competition barbecue knife.
 
marchone said:
Very nice. How long is the blade? I like the brass ferrules on the pins.

It looks like a carcass splitter. Would make a good competition barbecue knife.
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It's an 11" blade, 17" overall. The blade is 1/8" at the handle with a full distal taper so it isn't a heavy knife, not a carcass splitter.
I agree the pins are nice, the wood is Beech I think (anyone correct me if they know different ;)).
 
Thanks Marchone, same pattern but that's stainless, this one's carbon steel.
It looks like it hasn't ever seen any sharpening after being made, it doesn't look like it would take much to make it sharp as there is an edge just no signs of a final fine edge, I imagine it's never been used. Wonder what it's story is......
 
marchone said:
It’s a prize. Keep it and use it.
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Yep, a prize for the time & miles going to Flea Markets & returning empty handed!
I've had folks make comments like "when I've been to a Flea Market I've not seen stuff like that" to which I have to explain 9 markets out of 10 I don't either.........
I'll put an edge on it & it'll look good in the kitchen as well as nice to use.

Thanks for your help. :thumbsup:
 
I don't know whether it's luck/coincidence or I've now got an eye for old Sabatier's but today, guess what...........:eek:

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......in a pretty bad state & sharpened so much there isn't much left of of a mark....(It looks like the last thing it cut was wood glue!)....

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...but if you close one eye & squint from a distance it looks like the top of "T" & the end of "R" from SABATIER with a bit of the oval underneath & FRANCE to the right.

More after a clean & grind.... :)
 
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