[Jim McDougall]

This dirk has continued to pique my interest, and I wanted to take the opportunity to learn more on these weapons through this example, and share what I have found.
It was learned that in the fuller of the blade on this dirk, are the crudely scribed numerals which appear to be 1747.

Obviously, with the tragic battle at Culloden in 1746, the number is off by a year so not likely pertaining.

However, I found that there were Scots, in British service in the regiment known as the Black Watch prior to Culloden, and in 1745, the British realizing the importance of including Scots in their military, created a second unit.
This regiment was known as Loudon's Highlanders, and the 12 companies were recruited in Inverness, and in Perth.

Ironically, 1745 was when the 'rebellion' began, however communications were limited and the dynamics of the insurgence not widespread at first. The men enlisted in this regiment, with the exception of a few, did not join with the Jacobite ranks, despite the fact that these Lowland regions were indeed staunchly Jacobite.

While several companies of Loudons regiment did fight with British forces at Culloden, the rest were not involved.

Here is where it gets interesting.

In 1747, along with the Black Watch, Loudons Highlanders were sent to Flanders to fight in the War if Austrian Succession.

In "Military Antiquities", (1784) Francis Grose, a noted antiquarian , said he recalled seeing dirks carried by private men of the units posted to Flanders in 1747, and that he doubted these were part of their 'regimental arms'.

The outcome of the battles in Flanders were disastrous, and of the Scottish brigade, Black Watch and Loudon, the casualties were staggering, and many captured.

This particular dirk, as described earlier, is of very early form, with cast brass hilt. The working of metal was well established by the numerous artisans across Scotland, and the metal pistols uniquely Scottish well known. These craftsmen were likely to have produced dirks with these hilts as well.
The blade is of the commonly seen hanger types most often from Germany and imported into British contexts, into England but many went north as well.
These were with the distinctive back fuller seeming to have been from the first quarter of the 18th century into later years.

Pictured is a British dragoon basket hilt as made of Glasgow form typically by artisans near garrison towns and with one of these type blades. There is a form of fluer de lis stamped in the blade (English cutlers known to have used these, despite the French association) and blades with such marks were among those found at Culloden. Thus pre-1746.

The blade on this dirk resembles this type blade, and of course the cutting down of sword blades was common to mount in dirks. While loosely enforced, the proscription act forbade owning or bearing weapons unless for military service in British units. As previously noted, dirks were a very personal weapon to the Scot, and clearly, the men carried their own versions, as of this type, well known in late 17th into early 18th c. of brass.

Regarding the markings stamped, appearing to represent perhaps a quatrefoil, which is significant in ecclesiastical architecture, and with that perhaps varied symbolism in that regard. Here is important to note that the Scots, whether Highland or Lowland were in allegiance in different respects, whether Jacobite or Covenanter, meaning Catholic or Protestant loosely. But not necessarily as all Jacobites were not Catholic, many were Episcopalian as in the Lowlands and in the Highlands Presbyterian.

A lot of complexity, which I am sure I have not explained well, but the point is that the lines of Jacobite and Hanoverian are far from well defined.
This is all part of the mystery of trying to understand these matters and the fascinating arms used in these times, and by these men.