Mystery Dagger ID Help Needed

Robert · 16th August 2019, 04:08 AM

Sorry for my late response to the questions and comments that have been posted.

Ken,
The wood does not have an oily feel to it when being handled of rubbed. In fact it feels more like a piece of horn or a piece of burl of some type, but the grain is wrong.

Ian,
Thank you for your thoughts on this piece. The brass disc guard has been filed completely flat and shows no evidence of ever having a rim or stampings of any kind. As for the carving I am in agreement that it most likely does not represent a wheat stalk. A good friend has sent me an email suggesting that the carving could possibly depict a Ginger flower (photo below) right before the petals start folding out. The steel ferrule though unusual could have possibly been made from the necked down portion of an old larger caliber steel shell casing. I know that brass casings have been used for years to make knife fittings so why not use an old steel one if it is handy? Though the blade matches perfectly to ones used on some of the 19th/early 20th century Philippine daggers in my collection I am not suggesting that this piece is from there. I have no idea of where this piece is from.

Best,
Robert

kronckew · 16th August 2019, 04:32 PM

Carving looks just like a wheat seed-head. Suspect it's a marriage made with a bread-knife handle, cartridge head and a wavey dagger blade. kinda cool tho. needs a cool scabbard to go with it.

mariusgmioc · 17th August 2019, 12:22 PM

There are a few interesting points here.
From a photo, bog oak and ebony would be almost impossible to distinguish. Bog oak is lighter and quite soft to carve, while ebony is very heavy and hard.
I believe the hilt of this knife is a variety of ebony.
The blade looks very similar to some Philippino daggers I have seen.
So my guess would be a Philippino dagger, with a replacement hilt and front bolster.

thinreadline · 17th August 2019, 11:13 PM

My opinion , for what it's worth , is that this is a fairly modern made 'flamboyant' blade which has been married to an old French style bread knife handle . The 'guard' may well be from a brass cartridge case .... in order to give it the look of a theatre made trench dagger of WW1 period . A few years ago a friend of mine bought a similar blade from a Scottish firm and made me the following dagger ... a well made and convincing piece but I know its only 5 years old !

Sajen · 26th August 2019, 06:56 PM

Hello Robert,
Nice and intersting dagger!

I think that it's European but can't remember to have seen a similar one before.

Regards,
Detlef

David · 28th August 2019, 02:06 PM

The blade looks contemporary and is not a Filipino blade as far as i can tell. I agree with those who believe this is a new blade married to an older hilt.

16th August 2019, 04:08 AM	#1
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Sorry for my late response to the questions and comments that have been posted. Ken, The wood does not have an oily feel to it when being handled of rubbed. In fact it feels more like a piece of horn or a piece of burl of some type, but the grain is wrong. Ian, Thank you for your thoughts on this piece. The brass disc guard has been filed completely flat and shows no evidence of ever having a rim or stampings of any kind. As for the carving I am in agreement that it most likely does not represent a wheat stalk. A good friend has sent me an email suggesting that the carving could possibly depict a Ginger flower (photo below) right before the petals start folding out. The steel ferrule though unusual could have possibly been made from the necked down portion of an old larger caliber steel shell casing. I know that brass casings have been used for years to make knife fittings so why not use an old steel one if it is handy? Though the blade matches perfectly to ones used on some of the 19th/early 20th century Philippine daggers in my collection I am not suggesting that this piece is from there. I have no idea of where this piece is from. Best, Robert Attached Images

16th August 2019, 04:32 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	Carving looks just like a wheat seed-head. Suspect it's a marriage made with a bread-knife handle, cartridge head and a wavey dagger blade. kinda cool tho. needs a cool scabbard to go with it. Attached Images

17th August 2019, 11:13 PM	#4
thinreadline Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Wirral Posts: 1,204	My opinion , for what it's worth , is that this is a fairly modern made 'flamboyant' blade which has been married to an old French style bread knife handle . The 'guard' may well be from a brass cartridge case .... in order to give it the look of a theatre made trench dagger of WW1 period . A few years ago a friend of mine bought a similar blade from a Scottish firm and made me the following dagger ... a well made and convincing piece but I know its only 5 years old ! Attached Images

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

17th August 2019, 12:22 PM	#3
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,906	There are a few interesting points here. From a photo, bog oak and ebony would be almost impossible to distinguish. Bog oak is lighter and quite soft to carve, while ebony is very heavy and hard. I believe the hilt of this knife is a variety of ebony. The blade looks very similar to some Philippino daggers I have seen. So my guess would be a Philippino dagger, with a replacement hilt and front bolster.

26th August 2019, 06:56 PM	#5
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 9,164	Hello Robert, Nice and intersting dagger! I think that it's European but can't remember to have seen a similar one before. Regards, Detlef

28th August 2019, 02:06 PM	#6
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,209	The blade looks contemporary and is not a Filipino blade as far as i can tell. I agree with those who believe this is a new blade married to an older hilt.