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Old 2nd January 2024, 05:18 PM   #1
cel7
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Default Dutch navy poniard?

I bought this poniard last week. It is clear to me that it is a navy poniard and probably Dutch. The use of a poniard with the same type of grip was also fashionable for a while in the British, French and Russian navies. The strange thing, however, is that it has a shield with a lion leaning on an anchor. Now I thought I would manage to find this emblem somewhere but it just gave me a headache. I continued my search across the border and the only thing that looks like it (so far) is the coat of arms of Düsseldorf in Germany. However, that lion has a double tail and no sword in its claw (In addition, it would be strange that a coat of arms from Düsseldorf would be on a poniard like this).
The poniard is almost 50 cm long and has a triangular blade. Marked with B.S.B, which stands for Benjamin Schimmelbusch Solingen.
Does anyone recognize the emblem on the shield?
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Old 2nd January 2024, 07:35 PM   #2
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Бавария? Но Бавария не имела выхода к морю. Возможно, речной флот?

Bavaria? But Bavaria had no access to the sea. Perhaps the river fleet?
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Old 4th January 2024, 08:17 PM   #3
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Бавария? Но Бавария не имела выхода к морю. Возможно, речной флот?

Bavaria? But Bavaria had no access to the sea. Perhaps the river fleet?
Thank you Pertinax! It looks similar, but this lion also has a double tail and leans on a shield instead of an anchor.
I am from the Netherlands myself and for the time being I assume it is Dutch. It's strange though, that I don't know the lion in this configuration.
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Old 6th January 2024, 10:09 PM   #4
Jim McDougall
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I am really confused....what does Bavaria have to do with this?
Dusseldorf, as already pointed out, uses this style lion & ANCHOR as arms.
Why would this be on a naval 'type' dirk?
Dusseldorf was a port with vessels navigating the Rhine River.

This seems to be an assembled naval style dirk, following British and French sword hilt styles of late 18th century, usually on military spadroons. The lozenge element at center on the ivory hilt recalls the 'cigar band' style element on the British examples.
The blade does seem Solingen, and of course likely the trefoil blade of a small sword which has been cut down.
The interesting triangular guard plate with the cast lion is contrary to anything seen on typical naval dirks, nothing was found in either Puype, or Annis & May to correspond.

The initials B.S.B. do not seem to represent a Solingen maker, and I cannot locate a Benjamin Schimmelbusch in any of the makers compendiums listing all the Schimmelbusch makers in the dynasty.
I have to ask how B.S.B. translates to Benjamin Schimmelbusch, Solingen, is it an anagram?

Not to be contrary, its an attractive and interesting piece, but just trying to follow the elements in discussion.
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Old 7th January 2024, 12:43 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by Jim McDougall View Post
I am really confused....what does Bavaria have to do with this?
Dusseldorf, as already pointed out, uses this style lion & ANCHOR as arms.
Why would this be on a naval 'type' dirk?
Dusseldorf was a port with vessels navigating the Rhine River.

This seems to be an assembled naval style dirk, following British and French sword hilt styles of late 18th century, usually on military spadroons. The lozenge element at center on the ivory hilt recalls the 'cigar band' style element on the British examples.
The blade does seem Solingen, and of course likely the trefoil blade of a small sword which has been cut down.
The interesting triangular guard plate with the cast lion is contrary to anything seen on typical naval dirks, nothing was found in either Puype, or Annis & May to correspond.

The initials B.S.B. do not seem to represent a Solingen maker, and I cannot locate a Benjamin Schimmelbusch in any of the makers compendiums listing all the Schimmelbusch makers in the dynasty.
I have to ask how B.S.B. translates to Benjamin Schimmelbusch, Solingen, is it an anagram?

Not to be contrary, its an attractive and interesting piece, but just trying to follow the elements in discussion.
Thanks for your response Jim! Indeed, Bavaria has nothing to do with it and neither does Dusseldorf. But because I was looking for a lion resting on a standing anchor, I came across the coat of arms of Dusseldorf. I mentioned that because it looks a bit similar, not because I think the emblem is the same.
Benjamin Schimmelbusch (B.S.B) (1749-1826) was a swordsmith from Solingen. He was a brother of Abraham (A.S.B) and Johannes (I.S.B). Several weapons are known from him.
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Old 7th January 2024, 01:06 AM   #6
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Actually as you say, there is no reason to think this is a naval poniard (dirk) just because of the lion with anchor.....but it is compelling that this lion with anchor is the arms of Dusseldorf.
For that reason I would suspect that the poniard/dirk might be somehow connected to Dusseldorf......unless of course there are other entities represented by the lion and anchor........guess its time to hit the heraldry books!

Bavaria.......I could not find that in any of the conversation text, so that threw me a bit.....also about 'Bavarian' access to sea etc.

This is certainly a 'one off' item, and some work went into creating it.

May I ask what resource names Benjamin ? and why the 'B' addendum after the initials of these men?
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