Are they all really crystal hilted

[Jens Nordlunde]

Some of you may have crystal-handled daggers – but is the handle made of crystal?

Some years ago I read in one of my books that the Belgians made glass hilts for export to India, and maybe to Persia as well. Unfortunately I did not take a note, as I was looking for something else – but recently I remembered it.

I have two daggers with crystal hilts, and they have both been tested by a professional, and proven to have be made of crystal, but as there have been an export, however how small it could/would have been – and I don’t think it was small, there must be a lot of glass hilts out there. This does not mean that they are new, as the Belgians made the glass hilts centuries ago – but it is interesting all the same.

Those of you who have crystal hilts, did you ever have them tested?

There is of course another thing to take into consideration, that later hilts may also have been made of glass and sold as crystal hilts.

When I started to collect many, many years ago the fakes/copies were mostly of European pieces, but now that the prices have gone up on the Asian weapons, it seem as if the copying is at full speed – so be aware.