VICTORIAN SGIAN-DUBH AKA THE HIGHLAND DIRK

VICTORIAN SGIAN-DUBH AKA THE HIGHLAND DIRK

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$695.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2026-640

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The Scottish Highland dirk is known to have been in use since the 5th century CE.  One of Its trademark distinctions from European daggers is in in having but a single edge scalloped on the non-cutting flat edge looking like a saw.

This example of the smaller type with an overall length of 8 1/2 inches was/is usually worn on the leg at the calf; held fast by the stocking. This example dates to around 1870. The black "Bogg Oak" hilt is carved with Celtic knots. It measures 4 inches in height and is surmounted by a metal crown that is silvered and holding an amber colored "Cairngorm" a 1 inch by 1/2-inch quartz from the Cairngorm mountains of Scotland that have for many hundreds of years supplied colored quartz that have long been highly valued by Jewelers in Scotland and also throughout the world.

Around the base of the grip is a silver washed metal band with a hand engraved thistle. The single edge iron spear shaped blade is 4 inches long; it is in excellent polish and fits snuggly in a wooden leather covered sheath. There is a fragment of leather about 1 inch by 1/2 inch missing on the reverse. The sheath has top and bottom iron mounts thistle engraved and silver washed. Overall, about 40% of silvering remains on all the mounts.

On the plain reverse top scabbard mounts is a cartouche with "R.G. L."  R G Lawrie of Glascow established his business in John Street in 1881. Prior to this, in 1879, he was recorded as a skilled wood and ivory turner. By the 1890-1891 directory, Lawrie was noted as an "Ivory Turner Employer". During the 1890s, RG Lawrie crafted a remarkable set of bagpipes for the Prince of Wales, the son of Queen Victoria.

A fine Victorian example of a maker marked dirk, such as this, is getting hard to find these days.   [pe][ph:L]

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