[Richard Jao]

I found a very interesting picture that displays the weapons of the Parisian Apaches. Not the North American tribe, but the early 20th century French street thugs that became rather infamous for their brutality.



While I see there were several kinds of knives, I'm actually unsure of what those non-bladed weapons are. Are those weighted scarves or blackjacks of some sort?

And would anybody happen to know what other kinds of weapons these street thugs would've used? Cane swords, revolvers, etc?

[Stephane Rabier]

Hi,
I guess the left one is a weighted stocking and the right one is a "nerf de boeuf"", a kind of traditionnal blackjack, not made from an ox nerve (in spite of its French name) but from a bull... err ... well, it can't be made from a cow

[Sa'ar Nudel]

[Richard Jao]

Thanks for your comment guys!

So those were blackjacks? Ah, thanks for clearing that up! Am I correct in assuming as well that the bar beneath the knives was some sort of crowbar? I also can't make out the object that's right below the center dagger...it might be a razor of some sort but I'm rather stumped.

I did see the Apache pistol, and it really is an interesting weapon since it looks so weirdly versatile! From the looks of it though, the range of this weapon would've been extremely crappy. Does anyone know if the Parisian Apaches used a more conventional revolver or pistol?

[Eric W. Norenberg]

I'd bet that shell-shaped object is a bladed tool, used as an improvised weapon, a leather skivving knife, some kind of scraper, maybe something for chopping herbs really fine. You know, kid from the 'burbs moves to Paris, drops out of the culinary institute, next thing you know he's running with the local thugs... happens all the time. Not an ideal weapon, but neither is a linoleum knife, and we've all seen "Eastern Promises," right?

That impact weapon on the right is, I think, some kind of slung shot. I don't think it is any kind of bull parts, in my VERY limited experience with such things it's the penis, not the testis, that gets dried/shaped into a walking staff. Hey, like the real Apaches, use every part of the animal, right? I'd bet the thing is something like a monkey's fist, in that it could be worn around the neck as an "innocent" pendant, overlooked by the police in a crowd.

Where did you find that illustration, by the way? Thanks for sharing it.

-Eric

[Ken Paulson]

Old post I know but I was suprised to find this on a french auction last week and though I would add this picture .

[Stephane Rabier]

Hi,
nice find, a "poing Américain" (yes, it's called an "American fist" in France) but I've never seen one like that.

[Kurt Scholz]

the notorious Apache revolver. see wikipedia for more sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apache_revolver

[Sam Gordon Campbell]

Makes me want to read through Défense Dans la Rue if I could find a copy

[Phil Crawley]

[Graham Shearlaw]

other than the famed Apache pistol there is this

as it turns out brass knuckles with blades or spikes are realy commen.

[Kurt Scholz]

Why do they have a revolver instead of a pepper-box arrangement?

[Phil Crawley]

I suspect the mass production of personal pocket revolvers in the era (churned out in their thousands by Belgian producers alone, often in 7mm calibres) meant that revolver chambers and mechanisms were readily available to be adapted or incorporated into such items.