Brass Hilt Dirk

[mgolab]

I recently purchased this all brass hilt dirk from an 80 year old individual who stated that it was part of her uncle's collection.

Having handled a number of 18th century/early 19th century brass pieces, this hilt seems to have the correct age/patina and lack of uniformity from modern brass. Has a nice weight as well.

Appears to be a sword blade with double fullers, perhaps a maker's mark

blade is slightly under 12.5 inches
hilt is 4.5 inches with pommel nut
17 inches overall
blade is 1.25 inches wide.

[mgolab]

an additional picture

also overall weight is 1 pound, 3.9 oz

[M ELEY]

Wow, Mark! Very nice piece! It is in the exact form of a Scottish dirk and the brass does indeed look old. I'm no expert on these and will step back for the experts. The traditional form of these mostly had a carved wooden knotwork-type grip, but I imagine that this could easily be a more modern (ca. mid-late 19th c.) form. The fact that it is made with a cut-down old sword blade is again indicative of this type of Scottish sidearm. You do come across some amazing finds!

Mark

[francantolin]

Really nice dagger
But can’t it be an african dagger made with an old european blade ?
The small dots reminds me north african models

[Jim McDougall]

Naturally the Capn is spot on! This does appear to be a stylized version of the Scottish dirk, and quite old, I would imagine latter part of 18th c. as the capstan atop the pommel suggests. These all metal types seem to have been well known around end of 17th c. ("the Scottish Dirk", James D. Forman, 1991) and less commonly known are the pewter examples. The use of cut down sword blades, while popular, was not exclusively the case, however the well known quality steel of the German blades was preferred.

Officers of Highland companies of course typically bought silver mounted dirks while troops either bought their own serviceable 'brass mounted' dirks or these were supplied by the regimental colonels.

While in the post Jacobite period dirks and broadswords were gradually given up by ordinary soldiers from the time of the Revolution and after. However it is noted that the Black Watch (42nd Highlanders) kept their dirks until nearly 1830s.

In the pre Culloden days, the dirk was held in the left hand behind the target, and used as required in close quarter fighting with downward stab. The Highlanders learned the importance of the bayonet after Culloden, and with the musket the primary weapon, the bayonet became the immediate secondary.

It was often believed that during the proscription of Highland weapons, the enforcement was quite lax, especially toward the dirk. This was because the Highlander swore oaths and allegiance on the blade of his dirk, and that fiercely observed convention was sacred to him.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by francantolin

Really nice dagger
But can’t it be an african dagger made with an old european blade ?
The small dots reminds me north african models

That is a tempting observation, especially with west African use of brass, and those dots are also compelling. However this example has a certain feel to it with the vestigial haunches recalling the elaborate carved wood and silver studded examples of Highland dirk.

[mgolab]

Wow Gentlemen, thank you very much for the analysis.

I had a good gut feeling about this one when holding it.

I guess this would be an enlisted man's dirk?

what is very interesting is that the dirk blade is sitting here next to the Thomas Gill blade from my other post and it is very similar, age wise and also spine and dimension wise.

[M ELEY]

Incredible find once again, Mark! I'd love to have such a dirk!

Francantolin, at first I'd wondered if this were a Euro blade with ethno hilt as well, but the hilt looked so much like the Scottish dirk patterns I'd seen that I felt confident in that regard.

Jim, thank you for coming in on this one! I never realized there were all-metal hilts on these and thought this one might be a 'one-off' for an officer or some such. Thanks for that valuable information. Seriously, I'd love to find one of these types some day!

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Incredible find once again, Mark! I'd love to have such a dirk!

Francantolin, at first I'd wondered if this were a Euro blade with ethno hilt as well, but the hilt looked so much like the Scottish dirk patterns I'd seen that I felt confident in that regard.

Jim, thank you for coming in on this one! I never realized there were all-metal hilts on these and thought this one might be a 'one-off' for an officer or some such. Thanks for that valuable information. Seriously, I'd love to find one of these types some day!

Apparently this tradition was around since 1700, look at the brass one on the page I posted from Forman (and in Forman, you KNOW its right!).
What makes the example posted here later is the capstan.....I feel like this could well be Black Watch enlisted or sergeants end of 18th c. (IMO).

[mgolab]

Thanks again Jim. That is simply awesome!

As an aside, I have since learned that the surname associated with the piece is Morrison. A lot of information out there about the "Clan Morrison", so I am learning.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by mgolab

Thanks again Jim. That is simply awesome!

As an aside, I have since learned that the surname associated with the piece is Morrison. A lot of information out there about the "Clan Morrison", so I am learning.

As we do here! Together!

[Battara]

Many early dirks like this use dot circles that harken back to old Celtic designs. The African attribution is necessary therefore.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Battara

Many early dirks like this use dot circles that harken back to old Celtic designs. The African attribution is necessary therefore.

Jose, thank you for this note! The Celtic designs were keenly present in various cultures, including Scottish in material culture. One that comes to mind is the dot and circle, which is seen in some Scot weapons, but also turns up in India, Central Asia and the Balkans. As noted, it seems the same simple but notable design/symbol turns up in African culture in degree as well.

While it is hard to say whether these symbols evolved in the convergent sense, or as a result of cultural contact is hard to say, and may apply differently in incidental cases, but as you note, must be considered.

[Battara]

What I meant was it is not necessary for an African attribute.

Many world cultures hold similar structures in beliefs symbols, and artwork. These are not due to so much colonization as to similar archetypes in the mind of the human species, which transfer into cultures, symbols, and arts (according to Dr. Mircea Eliade).

[Jim McDougall]

We're in accord Jose....Im not even sure what I meant or said but what you said sounds good.

[David R]

A classic style and well known and documented for the 17th and 18th centuries.

[mgolab]

I also noticed these marks on the spine of the blade

either a "T" or "P" with a "V" and perhaps a small "M" above

[Jim McDougall]

This dirk has continued to pique my interest, and I wanted to take the opportunity to learn more on these weapons through this example, and share what I have found.
It was learned that in the fuller of the blade on this dirk, are the crudely scribed numerals which appear to be 1747.

Obviously, with the tragic battle at Culloden in 1746, the number is off by a year so not likely pertaining.

However, I found that there were Scots, in British service in the regiment known as the Black Watch prior to Culloden, and in 1745, the British realizing the importance of including Scots in their military, created a second unit.
This regiment was known as Loudon's Highlanders, and the 12 companies were recruited in Inverness, and in Perth.

Ironically, 1745 was when the 'rebellion' began, however communications were limited and the dynamics of the insurgence not widespread at first. The men enlisted in this regiment, with the exception of a few, did not join with the Jacobite ranks, despite the fact that these Lowland regions were indeed staunchly Jacobite.

While several companies of Loudons regiment did fight with British forces at Culloden, the rest were not involved.

Here is where it gets interesting.

In 1747, along with the Black Watch, Loudons Highlanders were sent to Flanders to fight in the War of Austrian Succession.

In "Military Antiquities", (1784) Francis Grose, a noted antiquarian , said he recalled seeing dirks carried by private men of the units posted to Flanders in 1747, and that he doubted these were part of their 'regimental arms'.

The outcome of the battles in Flanders were disastrous, and of the Scottish brigade, Black Watch and Loudon, the casualties were staggering, and many captured.
Regarding the 1747 (as presumed) scribed into the fuller, I cannot avoid the specious speculation that it might have been an ad hoc placement in commemorative sense, by a Scot having been involved in this catastrophic campaign. Perhaps it was retrieved from a fallen friend, and the year noted.

This particular dirk, as described earlier, is of very early form, with cast brass hilt. The working of metal was well established by the numerous artisans across Scotland, and the metal pistols uniquely Scottish well known. These craftsmen were likely to have produced dirks with these hilts as well.
The blade is of the commonly seen hanger types most often from Germany and imported into British contexts, into England but many went north as well.
These were with the distinctive back fuller seeming to have been from the first quarter of the 18th century into later years.

Pictured is a British dragoon basket hilt as made of Glasgow form typically by artisans near garrison towns and with one of these type blades. There is a form of fluer de lis stamped in the blade (English cutlers known to have used these, despite the French association) and blades with such marks were among those found at Culloden. Thus pre-1746.

The blade on this dirk resembles this type blade, and of course the cutting down of sword blades was common to mount in dirks. While loosely enforced, the proscription act forbade owning or bearing weapons unless for military service in British units. As previously noted, dirks were a very personal weapon to the Scot, and clearly, the men carried their own versions, as of this type, well known in late 17th into early 18th c. of brass.

Regarding the markings stamped, appearing to represent perhaps a quatrefoil, which is significant in ecclesiastical architecture, and with that perhaps varied symbolism in that regard. Here is important to note that the Scots, whether Highland or Lowland were in allegiance in different respects, whether Jacobite or Covenanter, meaning Catholic or Protestant loosely. But not necessarily as all Jacobites were not Catholic, many were Episcopalian as in the Lowlands and in the Highlands Presbyterian.

A lot of complexity, which I am sure I have not explained well, but the point is that the lines of Jacobite and Hanoverian are far from well defined.
This is all part of the mystery of trying to understand these matters and the fascinating arms used in these times, and by these men.

[Will M]

I see the fullers have rough grinding or sanding marks, possibly from later cleaning? Just not sure what I'm looking at, or just enlarged pictures making it more pronounced? Is the brass grip solid or hollow?

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you coming in Will!
I would expect that the abrasions on the blade derive from its original reduction and reprofiling from hanger blade to achieve the 'wedge' shape popular on Scottish dirks. I am unsure on the hilt, but I would presume it to be solid as this is a fighting weapon, and the capstan was placed to secure the tang.
Just as most sword hilts, they seem solid, rather than overlain brass sheet.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by francantolin

Really nice dagger
But can’t it be an african dagger made with an old european blade ?
The small dots reminds me north african models

My apologies for not responding on this interesting suggestion. The case for the use of European blades in the edged weapons of numerous tribal peoples in Africa is well established. The use of brass is prevalent in a number of regions in West Africa in varying processes, and the use of dots, tacks etc. is also a recurring decorative element.
However the hilt here is directly comparable to the forms of Scottish dirks as shown.
Thank you for your interesting entry Francantolin, and again my apology.

All best regards,
Jim

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Battara

What I meant was it is not necessary for an African attribute.

Many world cultures hold similar structures in beliefs symbols, and artwork. These are not due to so much colonization as to similar archetypes in the mind of the human species, which transfer into cultures, symbols, and arts (according to Dr. Mircea Eliade).

This is an excellent point Jose, and I was remiss in not capitalizing on it!
In the study of symbolism and the use of various devices throughout human civilizations and from prehistoric times is well established. One of the best sources reflecting these theories is "Mind in the Cave", (2002) David Lewis-Williams, and describes these kinds of evolutions in symbolism.
Thank you for that suggestion.
Regarding the Celtic circles, it seems those were entwined in that material culture, but I surely cannot speak with authority, many possibilities.

All best regards
Jim