Left hand parrying dagger with silver decoration

[alex8765]

Hi gents,
Is it possible to tell in what country this dagger was made? It looks Italian to me but I could be wrong.
Thanks
Alex

[cornelistromp]

probably Dutch around 1650-1660

probably not homogeneous but all from the same period.
the guard and pommel can be from an early smallsword. The pommel is a bit big for a dagger and the grip a bit small cf de pommel en guillon block do not fit well onto the grip.

f/m if the blade is a shortened "rapier blade" they did a fantastic job.

interesting weapon.

best,
Jasper

[alex8765]

Thank you Jasper,
The dagger is very well balanced, so may be pommel is so big for better balance?

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by alex8765

Thank you Jasper,
The dagger is very well balanced, so may be pommel is so big for better balance?

This does seem well put together as Jasper has noted.
The pommel is simply a component used to complete the ensemble of these composite elements, and really has no purpose for balance as far as I can imagine.
This looks very much like a stiletto (probably inspiring your idea of its being Italian), and Egerton Castle ("Schools and Masters of Fence", London, 1885, p.246) notes "...the dagger fell completely into disuse for fencing purposes, even in Spain and Italy soon after the 17th c. In the latter days it was a very reduced type, approximately to that of the stiletto".

[alex8765]

Thank you Jim.