Scottish Dirk, dated 1785

urbanspaceman · 27th April 2024, 06:53 PM

A wonderful piece, with a traditional Celtic style hilt of bog oak and brass cap; a real working weapon or tool... who could argue with that? I'm envious indeed.
As Jim explains, the spirit of the clan resides - regardless of its contraction.

urbanspaceman · 27th April 2024, 06:57 PM

Here's a Shotley Bridge made dirk from Brian Moffatt's Borderland Museum in Howick.
I have never seen anything so forbidding. The history attached to this dirk would probably fill volumes. definitely one for you Jim.

Jim McDougall · 29th April 2024, 04:17 PM

This is truly a sinister looking weapon Keith!! and powerfully exciting as it has clearly a SHOTLEY blade!!
This places this dirk solidly amidst the Jacobite events of the latter 17th century and the early uprisings and battles. That it was clearly assembled as an ersatz version of the dirk and distinctly for warfare says it all.

As you say, the history held within this weapon would most definitely fill volumes as these times were complicated to say the least ,and as you well know, mysterious . Your work has uncovered the truth behind much of all this and placed entirely new perspectives of our understanding of these periods in Scotland and Northern England in the Jacobite rebellions and the events around them.
This very well could be a weapon of the famed 'Border Reivers' , whose profound involvement in these conflicts is seldom notably represented.

27th April 2024, 06:53 PM	#1
urbanspaceman Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Tyneside. North-East England Posts: 577	Wonderful dirk A wonderful piece, with a traditional Celtic style hilt of bog oak and brass cap; a real working weapon or tool... who could argue with that? I'm envious indeed. As Jim explains, the spirit of the clan resides - regardless of its contraction.

27th April 2024, 06:57 PM	#2
urbanspaceman Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Tyneside. North-East England Posts: 577	and this just in Here's a Shotley Bridge made dirk from Brian Moffatt's Borderland Museum in Howick. I have never seen anything so forbidding. The history attached to this dirk would probably fill volumes. definitely one for you Jim. Attached Images Last edited by urbanspaceman; 27th April 2024 at 06:58 PM. Reason: typos

29th April 2024, 04:17 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,189	This is truly a sinister looking weapon Keith!! and powerfully exciting as it has clearly a SHOTLEY blade!! This places this dirk solidly amidst the Jacobite events of the latter 17th century and the early uprisings and battles. That it was clearly assembled as an ersatz version of the dirk and distinctly for warfare says it all. As you say, the history held within this weapon would most definitely fill volumes as these times were complicated to say the least ,and as you well know, mysterious . Your work has uncovered the truth behind much of all this and placed entirely new perspectives of our understanding of these periods in Scotland and Northern England in the Jacobite rebellions and the events around them. This very well could be a weapon of the famed 'Border Reivers' , whose profound involvement in these conflicts is seldom notably represented.