lrb
Mountaineer
Posts: 10
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Post by lrb on May 21, 2012 13:03:13 GMT -7
Dagger is old, but I don't know where to date it. Mounts appear to be coin silver from the color of the tarnish. Blade is 3/32" x 5/8" x 5 3/4". Grip is 2 13/16", could be bone, polished antler, or even some form of ivory. It has a through tang with the grip being secured by an oval ball, and the tang peened down on it. I changed the guard on my copy to obtain more usable grip. My copy is done in nickel silver and polished antler with an 01 blade. The original sheath is leather with no wood core, and mounts of the same metal. There are no markings on the original knife, or sheath. Anybody got any ideas on the period?  |
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Post by randychurch on May 22, 2012 4:08:09 GMT -7
Mr. Wick...Nice rendition..I like your guard...
.my first thought was Spanish Parrying Dagger
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Post by Chuck Burrows on May 22, 2012 10:18:46 GMT -7
Wick - first off beautiful job!
You might have the original silver tested - old German Silver with the often higher nickel content of 25-30% does not tarnish like the common modern 17% stuff does but more like coin silver.
If GS then post 1820's-30's, if real silver (coin or Sterling) than my SWAG would be last quarter of the 18th Century to mid 1800's.
Without a maker's mark also IMO US made, possibly in the south east. IIRC both Grant's and Minnis' books have a couple of similar daggers.
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lrb
Mountaineer
Posts: 10
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Post by lrb on May 23, 2012 4:26:45 GMT -7
Chuck, I suspect you are right about the silver. I've had the old knife for maybe a year and a half, and I originally thought high nickel German silver from the color of it, but with the gray tarnish, it would need testing. I don't believe sterling, because it seems to be hard/tough. I thumb pressured a quillon to where I figured sterling would bend and set, but it did not. Of course, I did not want to take that test too far under the circumstances.
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