Wedge Shaped Dagger
 

Curious form. I just picked it up from someone in North Carolina, Bladen County. Looks like it has some age to it.

8.5 inch blade

4 inch handle.

another picture

That is a pretty amazing side knife, Mark! As you well know, during the Civil War, North Carolina was split right down the middle between those who joined the Untion and those who joined the Confederacy. While not a bowie by definition of shape, lack of clipped point, this dagger whistles Dixie to me and would have been a lethal weapon to go up against in hand-to-hand fighting. Most of the Rebs all carried side knives in this way.

Hey Mark:

Great to hear from you. I was curious after reading about Bladen County, NC which had a significant immigration of Highland Scots starting in the 1730s.

I am wondering whether this blade has some connection, as the wedge shape reminds me of Scottish dirks, daggers, etc. Curious whether this may be an earlier, 18th century piece, perhaps made in America by a Highlander.

I will need to see if the blade has any markings when it arrives. Not sure if that is an older fuller in the pictures.

Hello Marks!!!
As well noted by Capn Mark, the North Carolina mystique does play well to this unique example, and the notes on the profound immigration of Highland Scots into North Carolina in 1730s is important. I wondered why would North Carolina have such a distinct draw over other areas for these Scots, and it seems that there were land or bounty incentives offered by governors to bring in these settlers. This was quite appealing to Scots dealing with the infamous 'Highland Clearances' of the 18th c.

This notable population of Scottish Highland origin would certainly seem to bring forth characteristic arms and traditions accordingly.
In "Scottish Swords and Dirks" (John Wallace, 1970) there are numerous examples of Scottish knives and dirks, indeed all with these 'wedge' profiled blades, of course of varying lengths. While some are fullered, there are others without fullering, which would seem in line with a short knife like this.

I would say the suggestion that this may well be an early knife of these profoundly Scottish regions, quite possibly North Carolina but equally to other areas so populated from these early Scottish settlers. ...most plausible.

The hilting using bone or horn as here was of course a typical case with the weapons hilted and repurposed in American frontiers, and through the 18th century, well, through the 19th. Indian knives often used stag horn etc. but these 'wedge' type blades would not seem to have been as popular with respect to the utility use. ....that assumption of course might be wrong.

Traditional knives like this of course would have prevailed well into Civil War as noted. Great knife! Lots of potential !!!!

Best,
Jim

Looking at this again, the blade shape seems pretty dramatic, almost triangular, so definitely seems like blacksmith work. However, returning to the Scottish favor of these shapes in blades as discussed, it does not seem unusual to have that traditional feature being followed in an ersatz weapon.
Really attractive and MOST intriguing!