Ballock Daggers

[Battara]

I think these are pretty good for relic or excavated condition.

[Jim McDougall]

I think this might be it:
In 1095 an Order of Hospitallers of St. Antonite was formed by a French nobleman.
In 1441, an Antonine confraternity was founded in England. Its members wore an amulet of a tau cross with a bell beneath.
It was often key to have a place for a relic, such as the compartment in the pommel as a reliquary.

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

I think this might be it:
In 1095 an Order of Hospitallers of St. Antonite was formed by a French nobleman.
In 1441, an Antonine confraternity was founded in England. Its members wore an amulet of a tau cross with a bell beneath.
It was often key to have a place for a relic, such as the compartment in the pommel as a reliquary.

Very, very interesting! Thank you Jim!

The second I saw the marking, I thought that the main mark looks exactly like a Maltese Cross missing one arm.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospit...of_St._Anthony

I think you nailed it!

[Cerjak]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

I think this might be it:
In 1095 an Order of Hospitallers of St. Antonite was formed by a French nobleman.
In 1441, an Antonine confraternity was founded in England. Its members wore an amulet of a tau cross with a bell beneath.
It was often key to have a place for a relic, such as the compartment in the pommel as a reliquary.

Jim

You have made an outstanding research! the identification of the Tau cross with the belt is a very important discovery. Also the cruciform section of the blade is not so common on ballock dagger.
Again, thank you very much for your interest and the time you have spent.
Best

Jean-Luc

[Jim McDougall]

Jean Luc and Marius thank you for the very kind words. I got really lucky on this, and it was pretty exciting to find such an esoteric connection and early date for this great example of 'ballock'.
Thank you for adding the illustrations and detail to augment this find, and so our archives will now have this material for future researches.

[Cerjak]

The Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry is probably the most important illuminated manuscript of the 15th century, It was painted sometime between 1412 and 1416 by the Limbourg brothers for their patron Jean, Duc de Berry. They left it unfinished at their (and the Duc’s) death in 1416. Charles I, Duc de Savoie commissioned Jean Colombe to finish the paintings between 1485-1489

[kronckew]

the full picture minus the less interesting arched section above, shows a bit more of the missing details, castles, armoured knights, and most important the full picture of the greyhound. (note also the two small paris hiltonesque doggies on the right side of the table.}