z Latama MADE IN ITALY 33cm Italian Picklock KRIS automatic knife w Red Dot safety

Vintage Latama MADE IN ITALY 33cm Italian Picklock KRIS automatic knife w Red Dot safety and Gorgeous buffalo horn scales! Back in the 1950s when Italy was sending a LOT of switchblades to the US and around the world the Importers/Exporters would sometimes run short on inventory and one of the things that they did was to buy up completed picklocks from other shops and add their name to the knives. This appears to be one of those "short stock" knives with a deep diagonal Latama stamp and features not normally found on Latama knives. The knife measures 33.5cm (13.25 inches) open with D Stamped Brass liners and nickel silver bolsters, button and safety cap. The Kris blade is mostly full with a little loss from sharpening and the ricasso is stamped Latama in script diagonally over MADE IN ITALY. The genuine Brazilian buffalo horn scales (handles or covers) are Gorgeous and multi colored with black, brown, cream, yellow and some translucent green and in very good condition with some minor imperfections and a couple of small bug bites on the back scale. The knife works Great with blade tip deep and centered in the well when closed, strong snap and very good lockup with about 1/16" movement each way at the tip open. Does NOT rattle if shaken with blade open. It has a Dovetail spring and 5mm thick backspring and blade base and Red Dot safety which normally is not seen on a Latama, but this knife apparently started out as a MADE IN ITALY which can be found with red dots and stamp added by the Latin American Import/Export Co (LATAMA). Safety works. VG+ condition.