December 10-13, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/10/2024
An American fighting dirk of a form popular both with naval and military officers, 18 7/8 inches long overall, with a straight, 14 inch-long, double-edged blade with spearpoint tip and one inch wide at ricasso. The blade is etched with various motifs, including sun, moon and floral scrolls and emblazoned with an early Federal, "frog-legged eagle" with a surround of 13 stars, within an oval border. The hilt is iron-mounted, with open S-crossguard terminating with teardrop quillons, with ribbed bone grip set between ferrule and flat pommel cap (with paired, bordering lines incised along each edge) and button capstan. CONDITION. one small chip is the bone grip at ferrule and two short cracks (less than inch), with some dirt in grooves and a patch of discoloration; the metal of the blade of mottled grey, with scattered patches of light pitting. Provenance: purchased from Stan Smullen in 2017.