Scottish Skean Dhu

corrado26 · 4th October 2016, 07:23 PM

This morning the postman brought me a small package the content of which was very welcome: A Scottish Scean Dhu with a very sharp blade. Grip is ebony and the crown with a orange jewel (?) on top and the other mountings are made of silver. Total length is 205mm, blade is 97mm. Comments are invited.
corrado26

Shakethetrees · 4th October 2016, 08:00 PM

Beautiful piece!
The orange jewel is called a cairngorm. I'm not sure of the origin of the word, probably old Scottish.

I believe it is topaz or sometime smoky quartz if it's a more brownish color.

kronckew · 4th October 2016, 08:41 PM

nice old sgian duhb (black knife), the cairngorm stone comes from : wait for it....

the cairngorm mountains area of scotland.

some traditional stones: cairngorm ones vary from a clear-ish yellow-brown to smokey quartz. there are other variants, gemstones, glass, crystals, plastic...

Battara · 5th October 2016, 12:55 AM

Nice late 19th - early 20th century piece. It is in the same style as the Gordon Highlanders' Regiment.

The stone may also be glass - very common in these.

Sajen · 5th October 2016, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

The stone may also be glass - very common in these.

I think that it is like Krockew write a cairngorm, some sort of smoky quartz found in the Cairngorm Mountains of Scotland, see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoky_quartz

But of course it could be very well glass, to be sure I would show it to a jeweler.

corrado26 · 5th October 2016, 08:26 AM

Thanks for the many comments. To make sure I'll show the skean dhu to a jeweller. Very interesting is that this piece might be from a member of the Gordon Highlanders.
corrado26

4th October 2016, 07:23 PM	#1
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,207	Scottish Skean Dhu This morning the postman brought me a small package the content of which was very welcome: A Scottish Scean Dhu with a very sharp blade. Grip is ebony and the crown with a orange jewel (?) on top and the other mountings are made of silver. Total length is 205mm, blade is 97mm. Comments are invited. corrado26 Attached Images

4th October 2016, 08:41 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,187	nice old sgian duhb (black knife), the cairngorm stone comes from : wait for it.... the cairngorm mountains area of scotland. some traditional stones: cairngorm ones vary from a clear-ish yellow-brown to smokey quartz. there are other variants, gemstones, glass, crystals, plastic... Attached Images

4th October 2016, 08:00 PM	#2
Shakethetrees Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Louisiana Posts: 363	Beautiful piece! The orange jewel is called a cairngorm. I'm not sure of the origin of the word, probably old Scottish. I believe it is topaz or sometime smoky quartz if it's a more brownish color.

5th October 2016, 12:55 AM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,229	Nice late 19th - early 20th century piece. It is in the same style as the Gordon Highlanders' Regiment. The stone may also be glass - very common in these.

5th October 2016, 08:26 AM	#6
corrado26 Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Black Forest, Germany Posts: 1,207	Thanks for the many comments. To make sure I'll show the skean dhu to a jeweller. Very interesting is that this piece might be from a member of the Gordon Highlanders. corrado26