We all know Angelina Jolie for her acting, directing, producing, and humanitarian efforts. But one thing we probably don’t know about her is her fascination and skills with knives.
Angelina was just 11 or 12 when she received her first set of daggers. As a child, she and her mother would attend Renaissance fairs that held knife exhibits. This inspired her to collect knives and blades growing up. Her knives are often from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. She even gifted her son Maddox with his own set at a young age. While some questioned this gesture, Angelina maintained that the knives were about the appreciation of history, tradition, and good defense.
Angelina’s collection, which will be inherited by her children, includes rarities and antiques. These include handmade butterfly knives, personalized William Henry folding knives, and Darrel-Ralph balisongs. Some blades even cost more than 20,000 euros apiece.
Angelina has mastered knife exhibition skills early in life, which became handy when she landed her breakthrough role as Lara Croft for the film Tomb Raider. She knows bladesmithing and can handle balisongs like a pro. She even demonstrated some of her knife handling skills in Late Night with Conan O’ Brien when the host asked her to show off her skills with a Filipino butterfly knife.
Angelina also collects first edition books, along with her knives.