Brass Hilt Dirk

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by francantolin

Really nice dagger
But can’t it be an african dagger made with an old european blade ?
The small dots reminds me north african models

That is a tempting observation, especially with west African use of brass, and those dots are also compelling. However this example has a certain feel to it with the vestigial haunches recalling the elaborate carved wood and silver studded examples of Highland dirk.

[mgolab]

Wow Gentlemen, thank you very much for the analysis.

I had a good gut feeling about this one when holding it.

I guess this would be an enlisted man's dirk?

what is very interesting is that the dirk blade is sitting here next to the Thomas Gill blade from my other post and it is very similar, age wise and also spine and dimension wise.

[M ELEY]

Incredible find once again, Mark! I'd love to have such a dirk!

Francantolin, at first I'd wondered if this were a Euro blade with ethno hilt as well, but the hilt looked so much like the Scottish dirk patterns I'd seen that I felt confident in that regard.

Jim, thank you for coming in on this one! I never realized there were all-metal hilts on these and thought this one might be a 'one-off' for an officer or some such. Thanks for that valuable information. Seriously, I'd love to find one of these types some day!

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Incredible find once again, Mark! I'd love to have such a dirk!

Francantolin, at first I'd wondered if this were a Euro blade with ethno hilt as well, but the hilt looked so much like the Scottish dirk patterns I'd seen that I felt confident in that regard.

Jim, thank you for coming in on this one! I never realized there were all-metal hilts on these and thought this one might be a 'one-off' for an officer or some such. Thanks for that valuable information. Seriously, I'd love to find one of these types some day!

Apparently this tradition was around since 1700, look at the brass one on the page I posted from Forman (and in Forman, you KNOW its right!).
What makes the example posted here later is the capstan.....I feel like this could well be Black Watch enlisted or sergeants end of 18th c. (IMO).

[mgolab]

Thanks again Jim. That is simply awesome!

As an aside, I have since learned that the surname associated with the piece is Morrison. A lot of information out there about the "Clan Morrison", so I am learning.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by mgolab

Thanks again Jim. That is simply awesome!

As an aside, I have since learned that the surname associated with the piece is Morrison. A lot of information out there about the "Clan Morrison", so I am learning.

As we do here! Together!

[Battara]

Many early dirks like this use dot circles that harken back to old Celtic designs. The African attribution is necessary therefore.