Stilettos
 

Just to show you a bundle of stilettos, may be you like them.

Udo, now thats what I call a beautiful 'floral' arrangement!
Stilettos are a fascinating dagger, and there are of course many ideas about how they were in use, and what period etc.
Most interesting are the 'bombardier or gunner' versions which had the often mysterious calibrations graduated on the blade. It seems some of these had curious figures which were said to to represent certain measures used in the 'art' of gunnery.

There is of course the theory that the narrow blade was the perfect size to 'spike' the touch hole of cannon in case of a battery being overrun. It seems a shame that such a beautiful dagger would be deliberately sacrificed for this mundane purpose, better to have a plain spike handy.....but then nobody 'planned' to be overrun.

Anything specific on the examples in this 'arrangement'.?

Udo, i will have all four flowers; you can keep the vase ;) :cool: .

Oh, I forgot one and so I made a further photo. The longest one has a thumb ring and a four edged blade, its hilt is made of wood or horn

Are all these beauties yours, Udo ?
Does any of them have the 'centoventi' (grade) marks on their blades ?

Yes they are all mine but none has a scale on its blade.

Still they are a precious treasure, Udo... no doubt. Thanks much for sharing :cool:.

Stiletto s
 

You have an eye for quality. Please hit me up if you ever have any for sale.

The stiletto evolved around end of the 16th c. and was most popular in the 17th c. These were truly examples of the artistry of steel chiseling and while it is often suggested these were used to spike threatened guns, it seems a shame to use these in that manner.

When these were used in Venice as gunners daggers (as previously discussed, in mid 17th c. (see "Gunners Daggers" Marcello Ferenzi, 'Arms & Armor Annual, 1973, pp.170-79). ...the mysterious calibrations degenerated into often spurious gauges to legitimize the possession of what were dangerous assassins weapons.
In those times only artillery gunners were allowed to have these 'fusetti'.

I guess the presumed purpose to spike guns while retreating was also a way to bleach their carrying around. As i also believe that these splendid Udo's examples have necessarily belonged to whealthy or high rank owners, who didn't need to justity their possession.

Bit like the germanic rules that only the Nobility could carry swords, the common muck were only allowed to carry knives. resulting in some rather long messer.

Interesting "Gunner's" stiletto just finished on auction (for more than I was willing to spend).

Interesting crossguard like the breeches of a cannon.

Hope one of our members got it...

Do you really think this is period stuff, Wayne ?

...and why not? Always willing to learn.

... That would be, in context, a different subject ;) .

The crossguard and the blade are probably original but the hilt seems to have the same problem as the one in the thread of "18th august, 19th C. Stiletto". The transition between the crossguard and the hilt is IMHO certainly not the way it should be.

Udo, do you really think the guard is a XVII century part ?

More 18c cannon breeches, but still antique enough. I was thinking of the handle example in the other thread when I posted this one "Pour encourager les autres" and wondering if the readers here also read the other thread. :D

I must admit I was stirring the pot a bit. :p