dagger series, nr3 the Flemish ballock dagger late 15thC

cornelistromp · 4th January 2014, 11:21 AM

the ballockdagger firstly appeared around 1300, characterizing the hilt that was carved from a single piece of wood and it portrays a penis and testicles in the 12 o'clock position.

So not a kidney! as the prudish Victorians described it.

the next dagger is a sub type of ballock which came into fashion at the end of the 15th century.
I see this particular dagger as the mother of almost all of the later landsknecht daggers.

it has a trumpet/calyx shaped round handle that suddenly flares outward, mostly covered with an engraved brass cover plate.

The testicles are still made of wood and there is a short metal parryrod or blade catcher
Most daggers of this type have a tapering blade of diamond section and a hexagonal ricasso! so this dagger can either be used underhand, with the blade pointing downward or overhand.

Laking described this dagger as Flemish therefor this type of dagger is often described as flemish flemish in other literature.
The fact remains that this dagger also can be seen in drawing and paintings of German artists.
this Ballock type will disappear somewhere in the beginning of the 16th century.

4th January 2014, 11:21 AM	#1
cornelistromp Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,058	dagger series, nr3 the Flemish ballock dagger late 15thC the ballockdagger firstly appeared around 1300, characterizing the hilt that was carved from a single piece of wood and it portrays a penis and testicles in the 12 o'clock position. So not a kidney! as the prudish Victorians described it. the next dagger is a sub type of ballock which came into fashion at the end of the 15th century. I see this particular dagger as the mother of almost all of the later landsknecht daggers. it has a trumpet/calyx shaped round handle that suddenly flares outward, mostly covered with an engraved brass cover plate. The testicles are still made of wood and there is a short metal parryrod or blade catcher Most daggers of this type have a tapering blade of diamond section and a hexagonal ricasso! so this dagger can either be used underhand, with the blade pointing downward or overhand. Laking described this dagger as Flemish therefor this type of dagger is often described as flemish flemish in other literature. The fact remains that this dagger also can be seen in drawing and paintings of German artists. this Ballock type will disappear somewhere in the beginning of the 16th century. Attached Images Last edited by cornelistromp; 4th January 2014 at 11:38 AM.