Description

Over the millennia, knives have evolved from sharpened stones to crude instruments with handles for easy grasping, to efficient and deadly weapons. Knives although functional, are sometimes a beautiful piece of art.

This is a very special beautiful knife by Dan Vallo of Acoma. Over the past two decades, Dan has taken the simple form of a knife and elevated it with inlaid turquoise, carved wood and antler handles, and blades of Obsidian. His blades are created using an ancient technique known as flint knapping, which he learned by watching his father Henry Vallo, an accomplished silversmith, and by experimenting on small blades and tools. His inspiration comes from old arrowheads and tools found on the Acoma pueblo lands where he grew up.

This knife has a hand knapped blade made from black obsidian The handle is made of cholla cactus wood, harvested, cured and shaped. The cholla has been carefully hand sanded in every “nook and cranny” to make certain there are no rough spots or cactus spines. The end cap of this beautiful knife are strips of Zebra wood, Osage wood & African Paduk wood. There are three coats of high gloss polyurethane on the handle for smoothness and comfort.  The display stand is Chinese elm wood, with deer antler to hold up knife.

Condition: Excellent – original condition – new.
Provenance: Purchased from the artist.