I try to resume what I written some days ago...
In Italy we have a great number of traditional knives. Every Italian region (a region is the equivalent of your states, but much smaller) has several typical knives.
So it's hard for me to understand which knife you're referring to.
Here some of that knives
http://www.consigliscarperia.it/download/catalogo-coltelli-regionali.pdf
These are some of the most well-known knives, divided by Italian Region:
ABRUZZO : Abruzzese, Aquilano, Coltello alla romana, Gobbo di loreto aprutino, Roncola Abruzzese.
TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE : Alto Atesino.
CAMPANIA : Amore, Coltello da pastore di Sparanise, Napoletano, Sfarziglia Napoletana, Zompafuosso.
MARCHE: Anconetano.
SARDEGNA: Arburese, Guspinese, Lapparedda, Leppa, Pattada, Pattada foggia antica, Resolza/Arresojas/Rasojo, Tempiese.
BASILICATA: Balestra.
LOMBARDIA: Bergamasco, Castrino, Maresciall.
SICILIA: Birittedda, Caltagirone, Catanese, Cuteddu cu lu manicu di ramu, Cuteddu ammanicatu, Liccasapuni, Messinese, Rasolino/Rasolino Siciliano, Roncola Siciliana, Salitano, San Fratello/Sanfratellano, Saraga, Scaluni, Scannaturi, Sfilato Siciliano.
CALABRIA: Calabrese, Coltello del frate, Roncola Calabrese, Vopa.
EMILIA ROMAGNA: Curtel cun è rèz, Imolese, Parmense, Ravennate, Riminese, Romagnolo, Roncola Romagnola, San Potito, Saraca Romagnola
LAZIO: Coltello alla romana, Romano, Romano d'ottone, Roncola Romana.
TOSCANA: Coltello da caccia di scarperia, Fiorentino, Maremmano, Mozzetta di Scarperia, Palmerino, Palmerino a due lame, Roncola con svitaluminelli, Senese, Svitaluminelli, Tre Pianelle, Zuava di Scarperia.
FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA: Filuscina o Filiscina, Marinera, Mozzetta di Maniago, Roncola di Maniago Colombina, Zuava Maniago, Coltello a scatto di Maniago.
PIEMONTE: Frabosan, Roncola Piemontese, Vernantin.
LIGURIA: Genovese, Masunin
MOLISE: Molisano, Mozzetta Di Forsolone, Sfilato di Frosolone, Zuava Forsolone, Coltello a scatto di Frosolone.
PIEMONTE: Piemontese, Puragnin.
VALLE D'AOSTA: Ronchetto.
VENETO: Roncola Veneta.
The picture in the book is that of a typical Italian Stiletto, sometimes confused with the knife called Misericordia (which means mercy; this knife was used by bishops and prelates to end badly wounded soldiers after a battle). Misericordia is a type of stiletto.
It is necessary to emphasize that this kind of knives have been banned by the Italian law after the '70s. Hence are hard to find more information about it. Unfortunately this part of the Italian tradition has been lost.
I apologize in advance for writing mistakes that I've done. My English is not very good. :biggrin: