19th C. Mexican Steel Machete - Etched "Soi Amigo Fiel" Motto

拍品描述

North America, Mexico, post-Colonial period, ca. 1850–1899 CE. A long, gently recurved steel blade rising to a tapered clipped point, its faces alive with acid-etched scrollwork and vegetal tendrils that thread between two lines of lettering: "Soi [sic] amigo fiel" on one face, "de los hombres" on the reverse, a phonetic spelling of "Soy amigo fiel de los hombres," or "I am a faithful friend of men." The hilt is fashioned of dark horn, riveted to the tang and swelling into a hooked pommel that locks the grip against a working hand. Such blades were at once field tools and personal arms, carried by rancheros and charros across the Mexican countryside, where a machete's motto broadcast its owner's temperament as plainly as any spoken oath. Size: 31.5" L x 2.5" W x 1.2" D (80.0 cm L x 6.4 cm W x 3.0 cm D). The inscription belongs to one of the most beloved of Mexican blade mottoes: "Soy amigo de los hombres y azote de los cabrones," roughly "I am a friend to men and a scourge to scoundrels." The couplet, split between the two faces of a blade so that it reveals itself only as the weapon turns, saturated nineteenth-century charro culture and survives today in the palenque, the cockpit, and the lyrics of norteno and banda song. Phonetic spellings such as "Soi" for "Soy" are common on these blades and point to provincial etchers working by ear rather than by orthography, a detail collectors read as a mark of authenticity rather than error. A comparable blade carrying the complete phrase is held by the Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca (item no. 45061), that example further inscribed with a salute to Porfirio Diaz and the date 1876, anchoring the tradition firmly within the Porfirian era. SHIPPING: We coordinate worldwide shipping in-house through specialist international forwarders experienced with fine art and antiquities customs manifests. International buyers must confirm, prior to bidding, that their country's customs authority will accept the item. All duties, taxes, clearance fees, and any costs arising from customs delays, seizures, re-export, returns, or loss in transit are the buyer's sole responsibility. Artemis assumes no liability for items refused entry, detained, or lost after export. We cannot ship ancient items to their country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.).For those not using LiveAuctioneers' Live Ship program, Artemis Fine Arts offers expert in-house packing and worldwide shipping. With over 20 years of experience, our team provides careful, reliable, and affordable service. For a quick quote on this lot, please contact support@artemisfinearts.com prior to the auction, or call 720-890-7700. PAYMENT EXCEPTION: For clients not previously established with Artemis, payment for all gold, precious metal, and gemstone lots must be made by bank wire transfer or certified bank check/money order, without exception. Item #204457

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