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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,718
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Some of you may have crystal-handled daggers – but is the handle made of crystal?
Some years ago I read in one of my books that the Belgians made glass hilts for export to India, and maybe to Persia as well. Unfortunately I did not take a note, as I was looking for something else – but recently I remembered it. I have two daggers with crystal hilts, and they have both been tested by a professional, and proven to have be made of crystal, but as there have been an export, however how small it could/would have been – and I don’t think it was small, there must be a lot of glass hilts out there. This does not mean that they are new, as the Belgians made the glass hilts centuries ago – but it is interesting all the same. Those of you who have crystal hilts, did you ever have them tested? There is of course another thing to take into consideration, that later hilts may also have been made of glass and sold as crystal hilts. When I started to collect many, many years ago the fakes/copies were mostly of European pieces, but now that the prices have gone up on the Asian weapons, it seem as if the copying is at full speed – so be aware. |
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#2 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: OKLAHOMA, USA
Posts: 3,138
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NATURAL QUARTZ CRYSTAL IS AVAILABLE IN MANY AREAS AND HAS BEEN OF INTREST TO MAN SINCE PRIMATIVE TIMES. CRYSTAL IS MUCH MORE DURABLE THAN GLASS SO WOULD MAKE A BETTER HANDLE BECAUSE IF YOU DROPPED THE KNIFE IT WOULD BE MUCH LESS LIKELY TO BREAK THAN GLASS.
BECAUSE OF MANS INTREST IN PRETTY CRYSTALS AND THE WIDE DISTRIBUTION OF GOOD LOCATIONS FOR MATERIAL. THE LAPIDARY ARTS GO BACK A LONG WAY IN MANS HISTORY. ONE OF THE OLDEST LAPIDARY CENTERS WHERE SOME OF THE VERY BEST WORK HAS BEEN DONE SINCE THE DARK AGES IS IN GERMANY AT THE TOWN OF IDAR OBERSTEIN. ITS WORTH A VISIT IF YOU ARE IN GERMANY THERE ARE TWO MUSEUMS AND MANY FAMILIES WHO STILL DO EXCELLENT WORK AS THEY HAVE FOR MANY GENERATIONS. GLASS MAY HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE TO GET AS WELL. JUST MY TWO CENTS WORTH. A BEAUTIFUL DAGGER CONGRADULATIONS. ![]() |
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 936
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This is absolutely beautiful dagger, Jens
The "crystal" used on Mughal handles is a Rock Crystal (colourless variety of Quartz). It is carved and polished just like a rock/stone. It comes clear and multi-coloured, with varying degrees of clarity ranging from pure to cloudy with inclusions. As for glass handles - I don't think the glass can be carved. It would be an extremely difficult and skill intensive process. It had to be cast in shape of a handle, so the difference can be seen upon close inspection. |
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,718
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Thank you for the answers.
I don’t know when the Belgians were supposed to exported glass hilts to India, and I don’t even know if the export was big – all I have is what I read in a book long ago, and I don’t even know the title of the book. What I would like to know is, if others have come across any information’s of this kind, or maybe someone can show us a picture of one of these hilts as I have never seen one. |
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#5 |
(deceased)
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: OKLAHOMA, USA
Posts: 3,138
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I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY READ ANYTHING ABOUT GLASS HILTS SO CAN BE OF NO HELP THERE.
![]() BUT HAVE WORKED WITH GLASS A LITTLE AND CAN SAY IT CAN BE CARVED OR POURED INTO A MOLD TO FORM THE DESIRED SHAPE. A GOOD GLASS WORKER CAN ALSO FASHON AN ACCEPTABLE HANDLE BY HAND WITH A LITTLE GRINDING AND POLISH TO FINISH UP. FOR A PRESENTATION OR CEREMONIAL DRESS DAGGER OR SWORD GLASS WOULD BE FINE BUT AS MENTIONED FRAGLE. GLASS WOULD HAVE AN ADVANTAGE OVER NATURAL CRYSTAL IN THAT IT COULD BE MADE IN ANY SIZE AND COLOR DESIRED WITH GARANTEED CLARITY IF SO DESIRED. INCLUSIONS , BUBBLES ECT . COULD ALSO BE ADDED. PERHAPS A LOOK AT THE GLASS INDUSTRYS HISTORY IN VINICE ITALY MIGHT TURN UP SOME INFO, THEY HAVE BEEN MASTERS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I WOULD BE SURPRIZED IF GLASS HANDLES HAVE NOT BEEN MADE IN SEVERAL COUNTRYS IN THE PAST. TAKE A LOOK AT THE OLD POSTS (ACRHIVES) ON PHIA KAETTA SOME OF THEM HAD CRYSTAL HANDLES, I HOPE THE PICTURES ARE STILL THERE. |
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#6 |
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,167
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glass can also be tempered and hardened, some 'alloys' are quite tough.
the connection of the grip to the blade with a teeny tiny tang and that habaki style bolster does not look suitable for a weapon designed to be actually used, but it does look nice. |
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