Bulgaria, Kingdom. A Rare Brannik Nationalist Youth Knife, c.1940

(Бранник нож). Measuring 252 mm in length with the scabbard on, featuring a 140 mm-long magnetic metal blade, with a semi-sharpened edge and a slightly blunted tip. The blade is etched with a Cyrillic inscription of “ДЬПГЬ И ЧЕСТ” (“DUTY AND HONOUR”) and is maker marked on the reverse ricasso “ФАКТОРЬ”, along with the leaping stag insignia of the Gabrovo-based manufacturer. The base bears a thick blackened leather washer covering the blade’s transition into the crossguard, which presents with a rounded finger guard, with black bakelite grip plates on either side of the handle. The grips are held in place via two rivets, while set into the obverse centre is a red enameled logo of the Brannik with a central “Б”. Accompanied by its original scabbard, constructed of black magnetic metal, with the throat and spring mechanism held in place by a single rivet, while the reverse bears a blackened leather belt loop held in place by two rivets. The scabbard measures 250 mm in length. The blade displays minor running marks and tarnishing, there is a chip to the obverse bakelite handle grip, and there is some paint loss evident to the scabbard. The knife is in an otherwise near extremely fine condition.