Yesterday I received this very interesting dagger. Very well worked bowie-style shaped blade shows a faded etching VIVA LA REPUBLICA framed from floral ornaments. Interesting is the engraving or better stamp at the ricasso which reads "Van Dissel, Rode & Co., Maracaibo".
With a little google search I found this:
https://books.google.de/books?id=j2U...acaibo&f=false
In short it was a German trading company from Hamburg and going to Venezuela and worked from Maracaibo. So I guess that the knife is from possible Solingen manufacture but like said, it's only my guess.
Guard is from brass, ferrule iron, handle from horn, blind tang.
Scabbard is very worn and from leather and worked in a fahion we know from other South American knives/daggers.
26,5 cm overall without scabbard
14,8 cm blade only
5 mm thick near the handle