dagger series, nr3 the Flemish ballock dagger late 15thC

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Matchlock

Perfectly argued and documented, Jasper,


I have learned something new!


Thanks, and best,
Michael

Yikes Michael!! If you have learned something new....imagine my situation as I am flailing about just reading this and seeing these fantastic images from Jasper! This is truly spellbinding seeing such examples of these important daggers, and I am amazed at the triple 'lobe' examples.
It rather distorts the 'ballock' analogy yes?

I always thought it interesting that particular anatomical allusion allegedly led the cautious Victorians to determine a less suggestive term by calling it a 'kidney dagger'.

While the lobes clearly appear to be typically in two, I always wonder if there is any symbolic significance or is the configuration simply an aesthetic? With that, the triple lobe arrangement even more begs the question, why the lobes?

Thank you both again for these fascinating topics and all that you both do in your phenomenal entries on these pages!!!!


All the best,
Jim