Hello,

Can anyone help me with the details about this dirk.

Information I do know:

Made by:
R & HB Kirkwood
Thistle St.
Edinburgh

It did have Lioness Sphinx plate attached on the handle that is now missing. The fork a number 4 ingraved on it.

Please reply with any information on this or who I should contact to find out more about it.

Photos attached.

Thank you,

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You have a probably 19th c. Scottish regimental dirk. From the emblem on the throat, it belonged to a member of the Scots Guard. Kirkwood was a major producer of regimental dirks for many years. In good condition, and it is hard to tell the condition because your photos are dark, it may be worth around $1000 to $1500. These dirks are not extremely scarce and without jewels set in the pommels of the dirk, knife and fork, it has a bit less value. However, any original Scottish regimental dirk is interesting and a good thing to own.

Lin,
I did not know the Scots Guards carried dirks. Who would have carried them? Pipers?

Thank you,
Jonathan

Rand Kirkwood cutlered some very nice dirks........but according to the books was in business only from 1880-1890. I say cutlered because most (but not all) regimental dirk blades at the time were made in Sheffield and purchased and mounted by various shops. Kirkwood also silver plated basket hilts, and silver plating over brass and steel seems to have been a specialty for that shop. Would love to see a better shot of the blade - what etching is on the blade? TR

Lin,
Thank you. Wasn't the Order of the Thistle badge used by other regiments as well? Paging through Wilkinson Sword Patterns & Blade Rubbings by Robert Wilkinson-Latham, there are several Wilkinson design sketches which depict the badge on a 91st (Argyllshire) Highlanders dirk, and a variant badge featuring a bugle on a dirk for the Highland Light Infantry. Is it possible that this dirk is not for the Scots Guards? Is Saint Andrew a typical icon used by the Guards?

Jonathan

Great information, Lin. Thank you for your reply!

Jonathan

Thank you for all of the information. I will try and get some more close up detailed pics and load those the end of this week. I was told that this was used in battle and there is eveidence of blood stains on the handle above the blade..

Is St. Andrew the name of the man on the badge?

Leanne,
It appears that there used to be a Sphinx on the grip just above the scabbard locket. The Scots Guards did have battle honours for Egypt (early 19th century), so this might be further indication that it is for the Scots Guards. Or it could be evidence of something else as other Highland Regiments also used the Sphinx. Would it be possible for you to post close ups of each emblem on the scabbard?

The Scots Guards have battle honours for the following for the 1880s (going with Thom's time frame for the dirk): Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt 1882, Suakin 1885.

Jonathan

I contacted Robert Wilkinson-Latham about this dirk, and he felt that based on the iconography it is likely a dirk for the Royal Scots.

Hello Leanne,

The link below references another topic that discusses an R & H B Kirkwood scottish dirk.

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...t=kirkwood

I know from my research on this dirk maker that they did very fine work for both the civilian and military population. As of right now, I also know that an ancestor to R & H B Kirkwood is still in business in Edinburgh as a Medallist and Engraver. Unfortunately, he knows nothing about the work of his predecessor, however. His internet address is

http://www.alexkirkwood.co.uk/index.html

There is also an interesting book about the Kirkwood family and their work out at

http://www.pjsymes.com.au/kirkwood.htm

Good luck in finding anymore information about R & H B Kirkwood.

-Todd

Hello again,

I've also found some other interesting information. My dirk was made by R & H B Kirkwood for Lord Arthur Hay, the 9th Marquis of Tweeddale. Lord Arthur Hay's father George Hay, the 8th Marquis of Tweeddale, was appointed Colonel of The Black Watch (formerly known as the Royal Highlanders) in March of 1862. I believe from this, everyone can certainly speculate of the close relationship between R & H B Kirkwood and all of the highland regiments of that time.

Thanks,
Todd

I Will send a picture later but I have almost the exact same dirk as Leanne Griffin. It has the order of the thistle badge with the latin writing around the thistle...nemo me impune lacessit.. The only difference is it has more thistles instead of St. Andrew on the sheath. Any info? I saw a similar one called a Jacobite dirk.