Bronze dagger

ASPaulding · 6th October 2021, 02:15 PM

I purchased the Bronze dagger at an auction. The person who owned it served in WW2 and collected blades as he traveled. It definitely looks like bronze to me but I don't know from where or how old it is. I cleaned it up but still did not find any maker marks. Any help you could give me would be appreciated. Thank you

mariusgmioc · 6th October 2021, 03:32 PM

You cleaned it... apparently with a grinder...

... and you ruined it...

... at least in my oppinion...

So, whatever you paid at the auction, now it is worth less than a quarter of that. Don't believe me?! Try selling it.

For bronze objects, the patina/oxidation is absolutely essential for establishing their age/origin. Even for steel objects patination is extremely important.

For all the blades, cleaning them with mechanical abrasive tools is ruining them almost always.

Moreover, bronze blades were usually used during the bronze age. You know bronze age, around 3300 to 1200 BC?! What maker's marks did you expect to find on a bronze age blade?!

I do not think this one is a genuine Bronze Age blade, but if it were, you can congratulate yourself for grinding off a few thousand years of history.

ASPaulding · 6th October 2021, 06:30 PM

Yes I know it ruins it. I didn't pay much for it.. My wife thought it was spray painted. I used a light sand paper to get off what we thought was just paint just to find out it was actually bronze. Not happy about it but it is what it is. Hopefully it's just a cheap tourist blade. Thank you for your feedback.

fernando · 6th October 2021, 07:01 PM

Marius is right, AS ... although he could have been a bit more diplomatic

.

6th October 2021, 02:15 PM	#1
ASPaulding Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Posts: 84	Bronze dagger I purchased the Bronze dagger at an auction. The person who owned it served in WW2 and collected blades as he traveled. It definitely looks like bronze to me but I don't know from where or how old it is. I cleaned it up but still did not find any maker marks. Any help you could give me would be appreciated. Thank you Attached Images

6th October 2021, 03:32 PM	#2
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	You cleaned it... apparently with a grinder... ... and you ruined it... ... at least in my oppinion... So, whatever you paid at the auction, now it is worth less than a quarter of that. Don't believe me?! Try selling it. For bronze objects, the patina/oxidation is absolutely essential for establishing their age/origin. Even for steel objects patination is extremely important. For all the blades, cleaning them with mechanical abrasive tools is ruining them almost always. Moreover, bronze blades were usually used during the bronze age. You know bronze age, around 3300 to 1200 BC?! What maker's marks did you expect to find on a bronze age blade?! I do not think this one is a genuine Bronze Age blade, but if it were, you can congratulate yourself for grinding off a few thousand years of history. Last edited by mariusgmioc; 6th October 2021 at 03:43 PM.

6th October 2021, 06:30 PM	#3
ASPaulding Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Posts: 84	Yes I know it ruins it. I didn't pay much for it.. My wife thought it was spray painted. I used a light sand paper to get off what we thought was just paint just to find out it was actually bronze. Not happy about it but it is what it is. Hopefully it's just a cheap tourist blade. Thank you for your feedback.

6th October 2021, 07:01 PM	#4
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Marius is right, AS ... although he could have been a bit more diplomatic .