Very shiny Kard

[drdavid]

Hi all
recently obtained this piece, I have been told it is a Kard circa 1850. The construction is beautiful with nickel silver grips riveted onto a full length tang. The sheath is as one would expect for the age with the nap of the velvet covering badly worn. An amazing piece to handle although I realise it does look like a bit like a big steak knife (so no unkind comments please).

I have two questions for the experts. Firstly I have been considering making a new sheath, although the finesse of the woodwork underlying the velvet may well be beyond me, does anyone have any idea what type of wood may have been used for this purpose. Secondly I had real trouble trying to photograph the blade on this, which has a lovely fine lined forge pattern, can anyone give me some hints on how to get reasonable pictures with such a shiny blade.
Thanks
DrD

[ham]

That is a very handsome kard indeed. Please, on behalf of all collectors who don't restore things to the point of new, leave it be. As it is, someone has cleaned any hint of the pattern away, as well as any gilding which may originally have adhered to the grips (they probably are not nickel silver.)
As for the sheath, there is a kind of warm patina which antique weapons acquire only with the passage of a century or more... this clearly has it, pray let it live in the hope that time, handling and the environment will eventually calm the dagger itself back down to the point where it harmonizes more consistently with the sheath.

Congratulation on a lovely acquisition

Ham

[drdavid]

Hi Ham
you may have mistaken what I meant, I have no intention of doing anything at all to the original. I am just curious if I can make an entirely new sheath as a copy of the original, a fine craft project if you like.

As for the piece itself it has been in same collecting family since the 1920's I believe and I dont think any significant 'cleaning' has occured during that time so perhaps earlier. I can't see any evidence of previous pattern or gilding but of course that does not mean it was not there.

If not nickel silver handgrips what do you suggest they may be, hard I know with just photos. It is a handsome piece though isn't it.
thanks
DrD

[Jens Nordlunde]

Photographing weapon is not easy, but there are a few things, which can help removing reflexes and shadows.

Photograph outside when it is clouded. The clouds will give a light, which will minimise the shadows and the reflections – other than the one of the photograph that is.
If you prefer not to wait until it is clouded, you can buy a few white nylon umbrellas, open them and fasten them around the item you what to photograph. Buy also a few photo lamps (be careful they develop a lot of heat) and let the lamp point into the open umbrella. In this way you will get indirect light on the item you want to photograph, and by adjusting the umbrellas you can remove shadows and most reflections, if not all. Photo lamps are important, as the light is much whiter than the light normally used in lamps, so using normal light your weapon may turn out reddish or willowish.
In both cases, use a tripod, although you may have steady hands.
Come to think of it, you can also take a few of your wife’s umbrellas and spray them white inside.


Congratulations with the kard. Maybe the hilt has always been like it is, or maybe it has been gilded.
I don't know anything about scabbard making so I will not comment to this.