Victorian Era British Naval Midshipman’s Dress Dirk / Small Sword With Lion’s Head Pommel, Etched Blade & Scabbard Retailer Marked ‘Dudley Grand Parade Portsmouth’ Swords

Victorian Era British Naval Midshipman’s Dress Dirk / Small Sword With Lion’s Head Pommel, Etched Blade & Scabbard Retailer Marked ‘Dudley Grand Parade Portsmouth’. Sn 19239 19239

Naval forces began to use dirks in the mid to late 1700s. Historians differ on whether dirks originated with the Danish Navy or the British Royal Navy but they were widely used by England’s sea service. Despite the popular notion that only Midshipmen used dirks, early paintings show dirks worn by high-ranking Naval Officers as well as Midshipmen. This original British Navy Midshipman’s dirk / small sword has a 19 ½” long tri-form steel blade. The blade has no visible manufacturer or date marks and has light etched foliate decoration. The dirk measures 23 ¾” overall and has a fish skin bound grip with copper wire binding all intact. It has a brass guard with Lion’s Head pommel whose mane travels down the spine of the hilt. The pommel has 2 brass rings attached for cord. The guard langets have cast Queen’s crown and Naval fouled anchor devices. The bar guard has foliate tooled decoration. The dirk is complete with original brass mounted leather scabbard. The scabbard has ornate foliate mounts and 2 brass hanging rings. The troat mount has a nicely engraved Lion Statant above panel ‘Dudley Grand Parade Portsmouth’ (Dudley was a 19th century, jeweller, silversmith and sword cutter, Grand Parade, Portsmouth, Hampshire) . All leather and stitching of the scabbard are clean and intact. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 19239

£795