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Justin King
Industry Professional
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 Posted: Fri 21 Oct, 2011 12:35 pm Post subject: Wallace Collection dagger |
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I have been a long time away from this site and this interest, but recently finished this piece and wanted to share it.
This is based on an original in the Wallace Collection, which is one of the most beautiful weapons I have ever seen. It is pictured in "Arms and Armor of the Medieval Knight" by David Edge and John Miles Paddock, on p. 150. This is the only extant photograph I can find of it, and being a copyrighted image it would be dubious for me to post a scan of it here. I have searched online and have found no other photos, I would very much appreciate any leads to other images of it that anyone can offer.
A catalog of arms in the collection by Guy Francis Laking lists it as:
"127. Dagger. The pommel is of fleur-de-lys shape; small drooping quillons ending in spirally fluted knobs. Dec.: none. Horn grip of hexagonal section narrowing to fit the base of the pommel. The blade, 12-1/2 ins. long, of diamond section, back edged and grooved 2-7/8 ins. from the hilt. Probably German, about 1530 (1109)"
Blade is 5160, @ 1/4" thick, pommel, guard and ferrules are forged/fabricated from mild steel, and the assembly is peened. 12-3/4" blade, 17-3/4" overall. I apologize for the poor picture quality, I have better ones but they are too big to post here and my resizing/editing software is giving me fits.
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Sean Flynt
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Marik C.S.
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| Posted: Fri 21 Oct, 2011 12:45 pm Post subject: |
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Well I'll be damned, since my visit to the Wallace Collection earlier this year I'm waiting for my replica of this particular dagger.
Wonderful piece, looks great.
There is a picture on the Wallace Collection Website - this is Dagger A811 a search for that should bring it right up - but that is just a view from above, not much detail on that one.
I'll add one of the pictures I took of that dagger but that one - like all of the ones I took at the Collection - is rather blurry.
Picture
Apart from the colour of the handle, your replica looks spot on to me.
Now I'm looking forward to my version of this dagger even more then just 5 minutes ago.
You don't happen to want to get rid of this one? I'd know someone who really likes it 
Europe - Where the History comes from. - Eddie Izzard
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Leo Todeschini
Industry Professional
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Justin King
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 21 Oct, 2011 1:02 pm Post subject: |
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Thank you guys! Having beat my brains out trying to visualize the parts of this not shown in the single photo I have, I would give most of my right leg to see the original in person, or my foot at least for some detailed photos. Then again, a little mystery goes a long ways for creative inspiration.
| Marik C.S. wrote: | Well I'll be damned, since my visit to the Wallace Collection earlier this year I'm waiting for my replica of this particular dagger.
Wonderful piece, looks great.
There is a picture on the Wallace Collection Website - this is Dagger A811 a search for that should bring it right up - but that is just a view from above, not much detail on that one.
I'll add one of the pictures I took of that dagger but that one - like all of the ones I took at the Collection - is rather blurry.
[img]https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/115558808371040482207/albums/5576585205543712625/5578307210000445122?hl=de[/img]
Apart from the colour of the handle, your replica looks spot on to me.
Now I'm looking forward to my version of this dagger even more then just 5 minutes ago. |
Thanks for the photo! Who is doing your repro, if telling won't diminish your gloating rights when you get it and post pictures?
You photo shows some details I haven't seen before. The photo I have makes the grip look very dark, and in spite of the description by Laking, the grip on the original looks diamond in section rather than truly hexagonal. I'm still unsure about the ferrules, I thought I spied a narrow one at the pommel end but added one to both ends of my grip due to the permanent assembly and the nature of horn.
Last edited by Justin King on Fri 21 Oct, 2011 1:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Ben Sweet
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| Posted: Fri 21 Oct, 2011 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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That there is insanely beautiful...
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Christopher Gregg
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| Posted: Fri 21 Oct, 2011 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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Justin, your new dagger is gorgeous! Here's a pic of your first attempt from a few years back - I had Glenn McClain make a custom sheath for it, German Silver fittings with belt hook. I got the dagger from a fellow forumite in trade (Love it!).
Christopher Gregg
'S Rioghal Mo Dhream!
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Marik C.S.
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| Posted: Fri 21 Oct, 2011 2:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Justin King wrote: |
Thanks for the photo! Who is doing your repro, if telling won't diminish your gloating rights when you get it and post pictures?
You photo shows some details I haven't seen before. The photo I have makes the grip look very dark, and in spite of the description by Laking, the grip on the original looks diamond in section rather than truly hexagonal. I'm still unsure about the ferrules, I thought I spied a narrow one at the pommel end but added one to both ends of my grip due to the permanent assembly and the nature of horn. |
I'm actually not sure about the repro, I commissioned it with the arms dealer from my longsword traininggroup and I'm waiting for quite some time now. Nothing worse then a busy craftsman if you wait for something.
The grip is quite a dark brown and to be more diamond shaped because of a grove cut into the sides of the hexagon which makes those sides look narrower then on your version. I guess.
I looked at another closeup of the grip found here and I'm not sure about the ferrules. Either the horn is shaped to resemble ferrules or after almost 500 years the ferrules have just about the same colour of as the horn of the grip. I'll need to get back there and take better photos. Anyone wants to sponsor that trip?
Europe - Where the History comes from. - Eddie Izzard
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Matthew Stagmer
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 21 Oct, 2011 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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That is one lovely dagger. I have always been a fan of this handle shape and yours is beautiful. I like the more recent one a tad more then then your first go around. More faceted then smoothed.
Thanks for sharing.
Matthew Stagmer
Maker of custom and production weaponry
Youtube.com/ThatWorks
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Justin King
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 21 Oct, 2011 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks again, gentlemen. I am glad to see some other folks interested in the original, it has been a pet obsession of mine for a few years now.
Tod, I have admired your work for a while and would enjoy seeing your version of this if you ever try again. FWIW I have made 4 attempts at the blade itself, 2 for each finished piece, and the horn grip on this one got a do-over as well. Obsession is the key and it took 2 years plus to do this one, with lots of shelf time.
Christopher, I'm glad to see that yours still has a loving home. The scabbard is a beautiful piece of work, McClain was a good choice! My sheathmaking skills won't come close to doing justice for this design so I haven't even tried.
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Ben Potter
Industry Professional
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| Posted: Fri 21 Oct, 2011 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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Excellent work, wonderfully clean execution.
Ben Potter Bladesmith
It's not that I would trade my lot
For any other man's,
Nor that I will be ashamed
Of my work torn hands-
For I have chosen the path I tread
Knowing it would be steep,
And I will take the joys thereof
And the consequences reap.
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Nathan Robinson
myArmoury Admin
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This is a standard topic