This a very elegant, but also somewhat vicious looking dirk that might cause one to reconsider palming a card even in a friendly game of poker. The knife is 8 ½ inches overall and the wide, leaf-shaped blade measures 4 ½. The white bone grip is octagonal, has a silver ferrule at the guard and flares toward the pommel, which has a pinned, flat silver pommel cap. A small silver shield escutcheon is positioned midway on the obverse grip flat and is not engraved. The steel guard and the blade, however, are profusely etched on both sides.

The guard is tall with broad, rounded ends. The top edge curves downward at each extremity and curves back in, giving the impression of roundels that are joined along the underside by a shorter concave lower edge. On the obverse, a small palmette is etched at the center, near the ferrule, and under that branches and leafy vine curl outwards in either direction in scrolling curves that pick up and play upon the shape of the guard. Below the guard a shield etched on the ricasso picks up the design of the grip escutcheon. The blade is double edged, with a prominent median ridge, narrow at the guard, flaring out in a leaf-shape from the ricasso, and then narrowing to a spearpoint. The blade is profusely etched on both sides with full coverage of a thick mat of leafy stems or vines with tiny flowers.

The etching on the reverse of the blade is done in the same pattern, but the ricasso is etched with a small palmette and leaves, instead of a shield, that pick up the etched motifs on this side of the guard, that feature the same floral scrolling vines and flowers as the obverse, but with a much larger central palmette.

The knife comes with its original black, leather scabbard embossed with a leafy vine pattern echoing the blade etching. The silver throat is present and has slightly rolled upper edge and cutout sides for the large round terminals of the knife’s crossguard. There is no lower mount, though it likely had one originally.

The condition overall is very good. The grip has just one slight, short hairline on the reverse near the ferrule, but is tight and stable. The silver has nice untouched color with a pleasing age tarnish. The etching is muted, but very visible throughout with the frosting shifting toward gray but setting off the bright-etched motifs very well. The use of leafy and flowering vines in the etching of a leaf-shaped blade is an especially pleasing touch and the maker shows he knew it by adding the motif to the scabbard as well. As attractive as it is, this is also a knife for personal defense, though just displaying it might ward off trouble. It would look great in a western display, laid out on period vest with a deck of cards and a derringer.  [sr]

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