A hunting knife for comments

[corrado26]

I am no expert on such kifes but as there is no ricasso and no mark or stamp of a maker, I think that the blade is the tip of a former sabre or sword.

[fernando]

Thank you for your input, Udo but ... i don't see the present format suggesting the final section of a previous sword. A sword with such blade back would be tremendous. But i might be wrong, though. I wouldn't reject it could be some other kind of modification... but which ?
Let us hear from other members... please .


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[thinreadline]

the blade looks like a repurposed bayonet blade , and the grip , crossguard & scabbard are reminiscent of hunting knives made in India for sale to British officers and hunters in the late 19th / early 20th C.
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[Gonzoadler]

Hello,

I think a part of a pipe-back blade was repurposed in the 19th century here. For me it is difficult to say where and when exactly the dagger was made, but it doesn't look like a typical German or French piece.

Regards
Robin

[fernando]

Thanks again for your judgements.
I can now follow Robin's assumption that this would be a cut down part of a first quarter XIX century pipe-back sword blade; the back part, that is. I was skeptical of it being the tip section, as first suggested, due to its sturdy structure.
I understand that they copy European style hunting knives in India for British customers, and not only, but i find it hard to digest that the guard+scabbard in this one do not come from somewhere in Europe.

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by Gonzoadler

Hello,

I think a part of a pipe-back blade was repurposed in the 19th century here. For me it is difficult to say where and when exactly the dagger was made, but it doesn't look like a typical German or French piece.

Regards
Robin

Precisely my opinion too!

[fernando]

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

Precisely my opinion too!

Mulțumiri, Mario .
So the blade is one of a 1822 British sword. I am still considering readline assumption that this knife was mounted in India. I wish i saw some examples of such setups to give the benefit of the doubt.

[Jim McDougall]

Just to add a few things, blades of this type cross section were often referred to as 'pipe back' or 'ram rod' and seem to have first appeared noticeably in the latter 18th into 19th c. in England. This was a period of innovation as types of blades and sword patterns were being tested and becoming the first of various regulation patterns there.

The ramrod (pipe back) blade I have is unusual in that it is dramatically parabolic in its shamshir like curve, and is an early variation of the M1796 light cavalry saber, probably c. 1795-1805.
These ramrod blades became popular on a number of British sabers, but as noted it did become known on M1822 officers sabers for infantry and remained on many until c. 1840s.

Interestingly, this 'pipe back' type blade reappeared in Germany on swords from c.1870s along with the 'yelman' tips (expanded point).

The fabrication of this knife, recalling the 'hirschfanger' (hunting sword) form of Europe, primarily Germany with stag horn suggests of course possible repurposing there. The scabbard seems fashioned out of a military type which indeed does resemble British examples, except with the carry ring on the throat.

With these things considered, it is hard to say exactly when and where this was fabricated, but these notes on the components are established.

The photo is of the parabolic saber with ramrod blade c. 1795-1805
The images of German cavalry sabers are from "Cut and Thrust Weapons", Eduard Wagner, Prague, 1967, and the blades are described as 'round back'.