Small wavy dagger

vantique · 22nd October 2021, 06:52 AM

Hi guys,

Need your expertise on this wavy dagger. It's small, only 8 7/8 inches long, both blade and handle are almost 4 1/2 inches in length, the widest part of the blade is 5/8th of an inch. It's made of metal.. , brass or bronze. Is it a real dagger? I'm hoping that it's not a letter opener!Thank you so very much.😊

Ian · 22nd October 2021, 12:57 PM

vantique,

Can you clarify please whether the blade is a copper alloy or iron/steel. It appears to be steel from the pictures. If you are unsure, stick a magnet on the blade--the magnet will not attach to a copper alloy like brass or bronze.

An interesting knife. Look forward to your clarification on the blade.

Ian.

vantique · 22nd October 2021, 01:41 PM

Hi Ian,

Thank you for the swift reply. Much appreciated. The magnet sticks to the blade and pommel but not to the cross guard nor the handle. Also, I want to make 2 corrections : widest part of handle is 5/8 of an inch and the widest part of
the blade is 7/8 of an inch (near crossguard) . Here also is another picture which shows colors more faithful to the actual dagger. Thank you and am really looking forward to your opinion.

Ian · 23rd October 2021, 10:01 PM

Hi vantique.

Thanks for the clarification. You have a small, wavy-bladed steel knife with a full length tang, and brass hilt and guard. That helps narrow the field a bit.

I'm going to stick my neck out here and suggest that this is an old knife from northern or central Luzon in the Philippines. The brass/bronze on the central part of the hilt shows wear from handling, indicating use over a lengthy period. The hilt is in two cast sections, with the lower section cracked longitudinally. The damage looks old judging from wear to the edges of the crack. Banded areas on the brass hilt are decorated with cross hatching, consistent with the geographic areas mentioned above. The guard is elliptical and "lobulated," again consistent with the regions noted. Lastly, the hilt is fixed by a small "knob" attached to the end of the tang, a feature also found in the areas mentioned.

Ethnically, I think this one is likely Ilokano in manufacture and may well date from the 19th C—a small concealable knife that was not used as a letter opener.

vantique · 24th October 2021, 07:40 AM

Hi Ian,

Yippee! I am extremely delighted with your
findings, all of which are supported by your very keen eye and knowledge on its style, materials used, details and condition. The seller said it came from Cebu, Philippines. Am I pressing my luck too much to think that it is an insurrection/ katipunan dagger? I know that these are high hopes for something that days ago I suspected to be a lowly 'letter opener'😊😊. Thank you so much. I really appreciate your effort.

Ian · 25th October 2021, 06:11 PM

Hi vantique,

Your dagger could be from the Insurrection period although there is nothing to suggest that it was tied specifically to the Kattipunan. It is possible too that it is older than the 1890s.

Small knives like this one may also have been carried by women.

Ian

22nd October 2021, 06:52 AM	#1
vantique Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 34	Small wavy dagger Hi guys, Need your expertise on this wavy dagger. It's small, only 8 7/8 inches long, both blade and handle are almost 4 1/2 inches in length, the widest part of the blade is 5/8th of an inch. It's made of metal.. , brass or bronze. Is it a real dagger? I'm hoping that it's not a letter opener!Thank you so very much.😊 Attached Images

22nd October 2021, 01:41 PM	#3
vantique Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 34	Hi Ian, Thank you for the swift reply. Much appreciated. The magnet sticks to the blade and pommel but not to the cross guard nor the handle. Also, I want to make 2 corrections : widest part of handle is 5/8 of an inch and the widest part of the blade is 7/8 of an inch (near crossguard) . Here also is another picture which shows colors more faithful to the actual dagger. Thank you and am really looking forward to your opinion. Attached Images

22nd October 2021, 12:57 PM	#2
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,333	vantique, Can you clarify please whether the blade is a copper alloy or iron/steel. It appears to be steel from the pictures. If you are unsure, stick a magnet on the blade--the magnet will not attach to a copper alloy like brass or bronze. An interesting knife. Look forward to your clarification on the blade. Ian.

23rd October 2021, 10:01 PM	#4
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,333	Hi vantique. Thanks for the clarification. You have a small, wavy-bladed steel knife with a full length tang, and brass hilt and guard. That helps narrow the field a bit. I'm going to stick my neck out here and suggest that this is an old knife from northern or central Luzon in the Philippines. The brass/bronze on the central part of the hilt shows wear from handling, indicating use over a lengthy period. The hilt is in two cast sections, with the lower section cracked longitudinally. The damage looks old judging from wear to the edges of the crack. Banded areas on the brass hilt are decorated with cross hatching, consistent with the geographic areas mentioned above. The guard is elliptical and "lobulated," again consistent with the regions noted. Lastly, the hilt is fixed by a small "knob" attached to the end of the tang, a feature also found in the areas mentioned. Ethnically, I think this one is likely Ilokano in manufacture and may well date from the 19th C—a small concealable knife that was not used as a letter opener.

24th October 2021, 07:40 AM	#5
vantique Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 34	Hi Ian, Yippee! I am extremely delighted with your findings, all of which are supported by your very keen eye and knowledge on its style, materials used, details and condition. The seller said it came from Cebu, Philippines. Am I pressing my luck too much to think that it is an insurrection/ katipunan dagger? I know that these are high hopes for something that days ago I suspected to be a lowly 'letter opener'😊😊. Thank you so much. I really appreciate your effort.

25th October 2021, 06:11 PM	#6
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,333	Hi vantique, Your dagger could be from the Insurrection period although there is nothing to suggest that it was tied specifically to the Kattipunan. It is possible too that it is older than the 1890s. Small knives like this one may also have been carried by women. Ian