August 18 & 19, 2020 Edged Weapons, Armor, & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/18/2020
This dirk was formerly in the Lattimer collection and is Illustrated as Figure 70, in Silver Mounted Swords: The Lattimer Family Collection, by Hartzler. In the age of fighting sail dirks were often carried in action by midshipmen and by officers for convenience on cramped decks and in the close-quarters fighting of boarding actions. The dirk is silver mounted and nicely engraved. The pommel cap bears a floral/sunburst design engraved around the globulare capstan rivet of the blade tang. The sides of the pommel cap and a ferrule at the base of the grip have beaded bands with minute floral starbursts in between that mirror the design of the pommel cap. The grip is ivory, with spiral grooves. The quillons are recurved and flatten toward the tips. A portion of the thin leather washer remains on the underside of the guard. The curved blade has a long ricasso with a top edge flat extending 2.5 inches and a bottom edge flat 5.5 inches, emphasizing the middle-eastern influence on U.S. Navy dirks starting with the Barbary Wars of the early 1800s. The dirk blade is engraved on the reverse ricasso, “Lt. G. Budd U.S.N.” under an American eagle perched on an anchor. The scabbard is silvered brass with an acorn frog stud and an open-work, asymmetrical harp-shaped drag. The reverse of the scabbard is plain. The obverse is engraved with a draping wreath of oak leaves over the acorn frog stud, below which an American eagle with a U.S. shield on its breast clutches an olive branch and arrows under a sunburst of rays and stars. Below that is a ribbon bearing the word "Liberty,” under which are crossed anchors and a large, "US / NAVY." Two entwined leafy vines extend up to this from the scabbard tip. The engraving is likely post-period and commemorative, perhaps done by the family, but we have no provenance anterior to its appearance in the Lattimer family collection. The specification of Budd’s rank as Lieutenant would be appropriate for the period of 1814-1820. The dirk, as is usually the case, is unmarked and may date earlier. A native of Bush Town, Harford County, Maryland, George Budd was appointed Midshipman in the U.S. Navy 22 November 1805. In June 1813 he was the senior surviving officer of the U.S.S. Chesapeake after its disastrous encounter with H.M.S. Shannon, an action immortalized by American Captain James Lawrence's last words: "Don't give up the ship." Budd's letter to the Secretary of the Navy detailing the action is reprinted in The Naval War of 1812, Volume 2. Budd made Lieutenant 23 May 1814. In addition to his service on the Chesapeake, in 1814 he was on the Sloop of War Ontario. Detached to command Fort Look-out at Fells Point, Maryland, he helped save Baltimore by repelling a British sea-borne attack of twenty barges with troops on the morning of September 14, 1814. He later served on the U.S. Frigate Java, was promoted Master Commandant 28 March 1820, and commanded the navy post at Erie in 1825. He died in Boston 3 September 1837. CONDITION: Very Good to Excellent. The grip has a crack extending from pommel to ferrule on the obverse that seems stable. Silver is uncleaned and has a pleasant, medium patina. The blade has a good edge and point, showing an old cleaning, but just minor gray areas with no pitting. SR
Item Dimensions: Length: 17".
Paperwork
Copy of previous auction description