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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 306
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Hello All!
After a long rest from collecting due to personal reasons I'm back. This is yet another "Deer Handle Knives " that I enjoy rehilting. I replace the deer foot in the pictures with the nice stag handle and German Silver pommel, what do you think? The crossguard is steel and the chape is also German Silver(The chape is origenal to the knife but the pommel is not). On the blade is written "A.W. Wadsworth &.Son Austria". The dagger is about 10 1/2" overall with a 5 3/4" blade4 1/2" handle w/ crossguard and chape. The curved crossguard is about 3" long. But what I want to know is how old is it? Is it pre-WWII(1918-1938) or post-WWII(1950's-1960's) or (1970's-1980's). I know the last one is splitting hairs but what I'm mainly concerned about is Pre or Post. Any comments are welcome, thanks! Mark... |
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#2 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,896
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Hi Mark,
Welcome back! and I hope all is well. I think its pretty hard to really date modern items, but I know that there are books that provide some good data, one that comes to mind is Levine's 1995 guide. Also "Knives and Daggers" by Faktor (cannot recall publ date). is pretty good with knives like these. I suppose mostly the manufacturer data on the blade is usually best in the manner it is stamped and wording etc. Otherwise the knife magazines are a great resource and often a letter to the editor can offer great information. All the best, Jim |
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#3 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,712
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Well as you clearly know 40% of the knife now is from 2007, the guard & blade are clearly earlier....
![]() Close ups of the blade markings would usualy help a great deal with any dating of European or American blades. Spiral |
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 306
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Hello All!
All is well! I forgot to say that the stag handle and pommel were taken from a 1940's 1950's carving set! ![]() Mark... |
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,712
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lol ok thats a little better & certanly makes it a better more practical user knife I am sure..., but the grind on the angle at front of antler to bring the fit down to the bolster clearly shows its a modern re work.
![]() The mark sounds interesting. But Ill say, Id replace that foot handle if it was mine as well ![]() But to me that them means its no longer a collectible, but hopefully stilll a great knife to use.... Look forward to the close ups. Spiral |
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#6 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 306
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Hello Spirel!
Heres the marking, I could not get a good enough picture of it so I did the next best thing! Too bad the maker did not put a manufature date on it. I have no intention of using it, the deer hoof is just too fragile and will eventually loose all it's hair so I figure before it gets destroyed by nature I would replace it with a more durable substance. And...for some strange reason women don't find a disembodied deer hoof attractive! ![]() ![]() ![]() Mark... P.S.- It did come with a "high" quality sheath, but by "high" I mean one would have to be "high" on drugs to think it was quality! Sheath was definatly not origenal. |
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#7 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,712
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Thanks Mark!
But realy I cant even see if I could know anything from a drawing of the mark.{maybe I would, maybe I woudnt. ![]() Its more how the mark is made & the type of font used that sometimes helps the dating of things more than anything. ![]() If it was ww1 era or earlier, for native use even with a deer hoof it would be quite collectible I think? But yes otherwise as you say who would want such a deer foot handle... As the mark is in English it must have been for export.... So I dont think you made any errors. ![]() Spiral |
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#8 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 306
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Hello Spirel!
This dagger has the most camera shy markings I have encountered, they just won't take! ![]() ![]() Mark... P.S.- While were on WWI, You would'nt happen to know anyone who could tell the age of a German Trench Dagger would you? All the data I could find on the old internet is confusing at best and contradictory at worst! Last edited by Aurangzeb; 7th October 2007 at 02:27 AM. |
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#9 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 803
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Hi Mark,
I had one I bought new in the 60's. Yours looks a bit older, but if had much age on it I think all the hair on the deer-foot handle would have fallen or been worn off. Nice practical blade shape though. Richard. |
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#10 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,712
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Indeed your spot on there Aurangzeb!
![]() ![]() If I had a German Trench knife, whether issue or a private purchase knife of that era, I would post it on Bernard Levines forum at bladeforums. Theres people there who would know. Many of them have been faked. Bernard like facts & questians not opinion though, so his best dealt with in that manner. Large clear pix. are also essential. If a camera wont bring up the markings a scanner might. ![]() Spiral |
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#11 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 306
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Hello All!
Here is the picture of the markings! Thanks Spirel, I have just joineed bladeforums! I think I will see if anyone on there can shed even more light on this knife as well as my trench knife. I tried scanning it but it did not work too well do to the curvature of the stag horn handle. |
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