What is this?
 

What is this?????

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6511250837

It looks european, neoclassic, (19th century?). Cast bronze hilt and scabbard. The blade looks very good. Why the back side is like this?

It's a nice looking blade, with a not very practical looking mounting.
No direct view from the end, but it looks like there might be a peined tang end. The flat back might go against a wall, but it seems to have no hanging device. It might go on a desk, for a letter opener. The strange thing about the flat back is that the ball at the tip seems to "rise" above its surface, which would make it hard to lay it flat against a surface.

Yes, it seems to be 19th century dagger. In my museum is something similiar - the knife with hilt and scabbard cast of bronze (if I do remember well), but made much better - where the hilt is made with a personification of Otello and his lover. The blade looks good, but it isn't older. I can't remember well, but I think the mentioned knife from my museum has similiar one, trying to imitate 17th century blade.

The shape and markings on the blade as well as the overall shape of the entire knife is suggestive of a Zanzibar sword.
The flat, plain back is also in keeping with such pieces where only the front is patterned.
I'd be tempted to say a paper knife were it not for the blade, which makes me think that it may well be an elaborate dagger in the style of the Zanzibar swords and made to be carried in a frog.
No matter how you look at it, it's an interesting and unusual piece.
Mike

This dagger reminds me of a late 16th/ early 17th century Landsknecht dagger. I have seen these on several pictures in my literature. The blade itself looks somewhat like a blade from a left hand dagger of this period but of much worse quality. I have watched this itam at ebay but since I had my doubts especially when looking at the blade I refused to bid.

This dagger reminds me of a late 16th/ early 17th century German or Swiss Landsknecht dagger. I have seen these on several pictures in my literature. The blade itself looks somewhat like a blade from a left hand dagger of this period but of much worse quality. I have watched this itam at ebay but since I had my doubts especially when looking at the blade I refused to bid.

Anyone notice the winner's ebay ID . ;)

I looked at this dagger once more, and it assure me it is 19th century dagger and to be honest, this one isn't something special to me. One side is flat, just like someone was to lazy to made a full form, or it was made just for hanging on the wall. 17th century blades of this type where often openworked, this one is just "pointed" only to mark similarity. And details (take care look at busts on the sheath!) should be more precise to call it very good dagger, in my opinion.
Regards!

wolviex,

that is what I meant. At a first glance it looks like a 17th century Lanzknecht dagger but at a closer look concerníng its quality it seems to be a copy of low quality made in the 19th century during the historism period.

Does this remind anyone else of the "carriage" knife we discussed some time ago? My recollection of that knife was that it was designed to be mounted on the interior of a coach or carriage, and intended to blend into the decor. It would serve as an emergency weapon.

I couldn't find the old thread. :(

Yes I did. Anyone we know?

No one I know .
I thought it was kind of humorous .

It looks like a rather romantic reproduction renaissance "main gauche"why it is flat on one side who knows.I suppose someone somewhere will like it,money was spent when it was originally made.Tim

Is it just me... or does the blade remind you of a key??? Did it have a dual purpose?

Treasures and poisons
 

Yes - it's a key to a great Templar's treasure... or to the Masonic one... I can't remember well :D :rolleyes: . Only the price - 260$ - is quite low for a such attraction :)

To be serious, there is no way it have any dual purpose. For me it's still imitation of very popular pattern used in 17th cent. daggers. Below you can see similiar one on pics from my museum - made in Italy at the beginning of the 17th cent., with openworked holes. Beautiful work which this one from ebay trying only to imitate by this points on the blade.

But if you want to search a creeping story in it, there is one, I heard or read somewhere, even don't rember where: in the openworked holes, there used to be a poison intended for a treacherous lovers. After the hit with a dagger the poison had to slowly kill ungrateful one....

Regards