PRETTY SILVER MOUNTED DIRK, AMERICAN OR ENGLISH CA. 1820

$695.00 SOLD

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Item Code: 30-2231

These dirks are usually associated with naval midshipman, but may have ended up in more nefarious hands as well. The naval tradition descends from the days of the “fighting dirk,” whose blade approached that of a short sword and was handy in the cramped close-in fighting of boarding actions. By 1815 or so, they had become more symbols of rank and the smaller sizes were appropriate to young midshipmen learning their job at sea.

This one measures 9 inches overall and has a 5 ¼ inch double-edged blade with a raised median ridge, tapering to spearpoint. The blade has good edges and point. The metal is smooth, bright metal mixing with gray spotting, more on one side than the other. The thin red leather blade pad is in place on the underside of the vertically re-curved flat silver S-guard, which widens at the mid-point to form and elongated diamond. The grip is turned ivory, contoured and incised, with a couple of dark, vertical hairlines, but is secure. The bottom of the grip has a silver ferrule. The top of the pommel has a simple inset washer to secure the peened blade tang. These are commonly found this way- there may have been a decorative button/cap, but these seem never to survive.

The silver of the dirk has a nice, undisturbed patina matching the silver throat and drag of the scabbard. Both throat and drag have narrow border lines. The throat extends down slightly on one side and shows where frog stud, now missing, was mounted, and bears a narrow decorative band along the top. The red leather scabbard is excellent, solid, and with nice color. It has two incised border lines along the edges on either side and shows just a little scuffing and wrinkling on one side near the drag.

This is a very elegant dirk, certainly English or American, and perhaps the latter from the absence of silver marks. [sr] [ph:L]

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