Plz help ID medieval Main Aigu LH dagger

Paul Macdonald · 11th September 2008, 06:17 PM

Hi Manuel,

A nice piece you have there!

It is a C17th style `main gauche` dagger, designed for use in the non-sword hand to accompany a rapier.

This type of dagger is gripped with the thumb on the flat of the blade, on the side opposite the side ring, which provides knuckle protection. When defending your left side (assuming your right handed and using the dagger with your left), in either high or low line, upon receiving your opponents sword blade in defence, the knuckles would be vulnerable to coming into contact with the blade without a side ring.

To be honest, I would need a closer look to determine authenticity of this piece, as the pommel style appears to be a much later urn style, which is not generally used on edged weapons until the late C18th.

Also, main gauches from the C17th were most often made to match a specific rapier, with detail mirrored in the blade, hilt/pommel and grip.
The grip pattern shown here is a carving style seen on rapiers and daggers, but here it is very shallow carving and wood only, where it would usually be carved much deeper and steel wire covered.
Main gauche terminals were invariably always wire turks heads also.

These are my initial observations which I hope are helpful.

Could I ask for a specific close-up of the ring-side face of the blade, centering on the 3rd set of drilled holes in the middle fullers?

All the best,

Macdonald

11th September 2008, 06:17 PM	#3
Paul Macdonald Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Posts: 48	Hi Manuel, A nice piece you have there! It is a C17th style `main gauche` dagger, designed for use in the non-sword hand to accompany a rapier. This type of dagger is gripped with the thumb on the flat of the blade, on the side opposite the side ring, which provides knuckle protection. When defending your left side (assuming your right handed and using the dagger with your left), in either high or low line, upon receiving your opponents sword blade in defence, the knuckles would be vulnerable to coming into contact with the blade without a side ring. To be honest, I would need a closer look to determine authenticity of this piece, as the pommel style appears to be a much later urn style, which is not generally used on edged weapons until the late C18th. Also, main gauches from the C17th were most often made to match a specific rapier, with detail mirrored in the blade, hilt/pommel and grip. The grip pattern shown here is a carving style seen on rapiers and daggers, but here it is very shallow carving and wood only, where it would usually be carved much deeper and steel wire covered. Main gauche terminals were invariably always wire turks heads also. These are my initial observations which I hope are helpful. Could I ask for a specific close-up of the ring-side face of the blade, centering on the 3rd set of drilled holes in the middle fullers? All the best, Macdonald