Traditional Finnish Puukko knife dated 1942

Excellent large traditional Finnish Puukko knife made by Martini Rovaniemi in 1942. The blade reads Sotamuisto indicating its a war souvenir. The arctic birch handle has been decorated with a blue enamel badge that was often obtained from the Soldatenheim and or Sotilaskoti. These knives where very popular amongst German troops fighting in Finland on the Nordfront. Many wartime images of soldiers serving in 6. SS Gebirgsjäger Division ‘Nord’ can be seen wearing these typical Finnish knives. In Finland, receiving a puukko as a gift is considered an honour, the idea being that the presenter is giving the recipient a tool which is essential for both woodworking and preparing food and as a weapon and that the presenter takes into account the well-being of the recipient. The Puukko in question is a very large variant roughly the size of a K98 bayonet.