All About Pocket Knives

I just picked up this Latama at the flea market. Latama Italy on front tang , Patent 359?? on the back.I know very little about Italian knives, any idea on dates of when this was made.It's pretty rough, not sure if it's worth repairing.

Latama is a knife manufacturer in Italy but it is not listed in Bernard Levine's book nor Goins, which is very odd.
The story i once read is that Latama was started in 1947 by a man of Italian descent living in N.Y.C. who went over to Italy and convinced some of his family members to start a knife manufacturing business specializing in auto knives. When these knives were banned in USA in 1957 ?, Latama changed over to making Gent's style knives, many of which are Lobster pattern.
I'm sure there is much more to Latama than this and i hope what i am posting is accurate.
kj

Latama was a US importer that had knives manufactured for them.
Your Latama may very well be worth repairing-depending on how bad the pitting is on the blade. I would suggest soaking it in WD 40 or penetrating oil for a few days and then wiping it dry.
These knives are very popular with collectors.

Looks like a Kris blade, nice find and fix 'er up.

Here is the history of Latama knife company: http://stiletto-italiano.com/eng/latama.htm
a very interesting read. The history i gave above is basically a very simplified version of what actually happened.
kj

Definitely cool, I've enjoyed looking over your photos I would have loved to have been in your position to find it at a flea market. I would love to see it repaired if you get around to it please post photos of the after.

I would love to restore this i did ine recently, i got it sent as a gift for work i was doing on a guys knives, sadly there iligal to own in the uk as banned in 1959 mine has to hide away .