[Leo Todeschini]

Hi All,

Sorry about the title: I couldn't resist.

These are 5 multiple sets of bollock daggers for an upcoming film (hence the multiples)

The daggers are ostensibly supposed to be high-middle class early 14thC bollock pieces, which in it self is tricky as there are hardly any bollock daggers from this period (if you have images of any please post them up). Bearing in mind it is not a documentary, but a film and that allows some interpretation and leeway.

I needed to make 5 distinctly different daggers that were plausibly acceptable for the early 14th, but were a bit flash and a bit detailed. The blades at this time should really have been single edged with a blunt back edge to allow them to function as working knives as well as daggers, but these were supposed to be high-middle class (although bollock daggers were not this at this time) so I could be a bit creative with the blades. The 14thC seemed to be a time of experimentation in eating knife blades and so I took some of these elements and used them in these pieces.

The sheaths were easier as there is much more material to use as a basis and so these are plausibly 14thC. The daggers needed chapes and so I used a selection of stock pieces from Tods Foundry, some 14thC and some 15th (as I said not a documentary) although they mostly should not have had any.

The grips were a bit trickier as there is so little detail to go on. I left most of them fairly thick and unsculpted as this seemed to be the norm as far as I can tell, but I added a few 'poor' details to lift them up a bit.

I hope you like them and please ask away if you have any questions.

Tod

[Jeremiah Swanger]

And because *I* couldn't resist...


(Image courtesy of Wikimedia)

In all seriousness, though, I like them! The long, slender ones, in particular, look pretty useful for seeking out the gaps and joints in a suit of armor. I also thought the studs in the grips were a classy touch, so I think you succeeded in "classing them up", given that I've always considered the bullock dagger to be a more "utilitarian" weapon.

Nicely-done! Let us know when that film is ready!

[Craig Peters]

The earliest likely representation I have found thus far of a bollock dagger was circa 1338-1344 AD, in the Romance of Alexander. The central figure, with the two dogs sniffing him, seems to be carrying one.



http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4373/7079/