Hello,
I don't have much information on this dagger other than its total length of 17 inches. It looks to be of Spanish origin to me BWDIK. Any help on its age and origin would be greatly appreciated.

Robert

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I'm not an expert, but it looks 17th-18th century to me. Maybe a late parrying dagger? I don't think parrying daggers were used much in the 18th century though.

I'd guess mid-17th century parrying dagger, probably Spanish.

Like I said, I'm no expert, maybe we can get some of the real experts on this forum to weigh in.


Where did you get it?

Robert, saw this on Vikingsword and it is indeed a curious piece. The timbles are esepcially curious. While at first glance, maingauche comes to mind, the quillons have a Chinese flavor. Some one had mentioned the possibility of a cut down small sword or court sword blade, given the lack of the small shoulders usually found on triangular hallow ground small sword blades I would say this is certainly possible with the blade being cut down from the hilt up rather than point down. The Spanish did hold on to certain sword types and fighting methods longer than other Europeans ( longer bladed rapiers and maingauches ) into the 18th century but the thimbles and the quillons seem to speak more of an adhoc or localized manufacture. The Phillipienes attributation may be your strongest candidate.

My vote/speculation is a 20th century build of a French sword blade from the late 19th century onwards a bit.
The blade even dished a bit where the manufacturer marks/script were.
http://www.arms2armor.com/Swords/fren1887iof.htm

This blade form is not quite shaped as the 18th century blades. There is often an urge to place blades as early as possible, when a more recent type may be less apparent but fit to a T :) The Gras bayonet epee T spine the other way, back to edge instead of the sideways officer's epee linked above.

With trench art what is and was prevalent in several conflicts around the period of that particular French epee blade, my thought immediately went to that but I haven't popped in at Ethno lately and figured someone here would make the association early on.

Continental Europe and early to mid 20th century, my thoughts.

Cheers

GC.

Oh yes, here is my modern hafted poingard but I know my blade to be 18th century.