A knife makes film history
PUMA knives and the film "Treasure of the Silver Lake" (1962)
How PUMA knives cemented their legendary status
PUMA knives in movies
"The Treasure of the Silver Lake" from 1962
When it comes to legendary knives in film, one classic stands out above the rest: the White Hunter in the 1962 Karl May adaptation "Treasure of the Silver Lake." But who actually knows that this wasn't the only PUMA knife in the movie? By the way, it wasn't the only Karl May film in which a PUMA knife appeared, either! But more on that later.
The following images have been graphically optimized with the help of AI!
A film that made knife history
“Treasure of the Silver Lake” is among the most famous Karl May films of the early 1960s and remains closely associated with the image of classic adventure aesthetics to this day. This is not only due to the landscape, characters, and plot, but also the equipment, which gives the characters on screen their distinctive impact. In this context, PUMA knives play an unmistakable role in one of the most well-known German adventure film adaptations. The White Hunter, in particular, became a true symbol of functionality and the spirit of adventure through its presence in the film.
Many of our collectors already know this, but few have noticed that the legendary PUMA Automesser can also be seen in the film multiple times! In general, the knives were staged in the film (likely unintentionally) as the perfect knife for the Wild West and accompanied nearly every central character in the adaptation. We took a closer look and determined which character in the film carries a PUMA knife and, if so, which one!
Old Shatterhand - played by Lex Barker
In the film, he carries a PUMA White Hunter
Fred Engel - played by Götz George
Uses the PUMA hunting knife throughout the entire film
Colonel Brinkley - played by Herbert Lom
At the beginning he carries a car knife, later on a White Hunter
Gunstick Uncle - played by Mirko Boman
Does a white hunter wear in the film
Big Wolf - played by Jozo Kovacevic
Draws his White Hunter in the fight scene
Lord Castlepool - played by Eddi Arent
Can be seen in the film more often with a White Hunter
And what about
Winnetou?
Winnetou - played by Pierre Brice, does in fact carry a PUMA White Hunter in some scenes (see image on the left), although this is usually difficult to spot. What adds to the confusion: he often carries another, unknown knife with a richly decorated, indigenous-style sheath (see image on the right).
Key film scenes featuring PUMA knives
We also took the trouble to take a very close look at the film. In doing so, we focused on identifying all the scenes in which PUMA knives can be seen. However, we quickly realized that our knives appear much more frequently in the film than we ourselves had expected! Therefore, we are focusing on key scenes in which the knives are actively used, whether in an action, a fight scene, or as a particularly striking detail in the frame. For the sake of clarity, we have omitted very short appearances that only last a few seconds, but we will list them at the end.
Car knife fight scene
Another epic fight scene takes place at minute 46:14. Fred Engel pursues the antagonist Colonel Brinkley and challenges him to a duel. Both draw their PUMA automatic knives. The knives are clearly visible in this scene and, alongside the two characters, form the central element of the film. The fight is long and intense. At the end of the scene, the Colonel loses his knife and Engel dives for cover before the Colonel can escape.
All scenes featuring PUMA knives in the film:
Without claim to completeness and with an approximate timestamp (deviations are possible depending on the version).
FAQ section
Did Old Shatterhand carry a PUMA knife?
Yes! Old Shatterhand carried a PUMA knife in the movie "Treasure of the Silver Lake"
Did Winnetou carry a White Hunter knife?
Yes, in some scenes Winnetou carries a PUMA White Hunter knife.
Was the PUMA automatic knife used for film productions?
Yes, the PUMA hunting knife can be seen in the films: Treasure of the Silver Lake and Winnetou and the Crossbreed.
Are the PUMA knives from film and television still available today?
Yes, the company PUMA Werk Solingen has been producing these knives without interruption since 1955 and 1960 respectively.
Which knife does Old Shatterhand use in "The Treasure of the Silver Lake"?
Yes! Old Shatterhand carried a PUMA White Hunter knife in the film "Treasure of the Silver Lake"
Do today's PUMA White Hunter knives differ from the historical ones?
Only slightly. Today, due to import regulations, European stag horn is used instead of Indian, and the steel used today is more modern than that of the sixties.