Lot 432
Inverness - a rare Scottish provincial mounted Highland dirk
Auction: 17 August 2009 at 15:00 BST
Description
Robert Anderson, marked RA, camel, INS (to pommel cap), the intricate carved wooden handle with basket weave decoration and simple studded detail, the shoulders with applied banding of foliate engraved silver, the pommel cap with scalloped mount and engraved 'John MacDonald' in script, with simple bun finial, the single fullered blade marked GR with crown above and JEFFRIES below, the leather scabbard with simple mounts with scalloped edges and incised detail, the bi knife and fork set side by side in one mount, the bi knife an fork with similarly intricately carved handles and simple pommel caps
Dimensions
blade 34cm long, overall length 47cm
Footnote
Notes: This dirk shows many high quality and interesting features from that of the standard dirk, particularly the finely carved handle with the added detail of the carved studs and applied shoulder mounts. The parallel mounting of the bi knife and fork is a feature that was only seen on dirks for a very short time (perhaps as short as 20 years).
Perhaps the most interesting and the rarest feature are the full Inverness marks. While it must be assumed that provincial silversmiths were involved in the manufacture of dirks it is very rare to find period examples marked. Indeed only two other Inverness dirks are known from this period; one by Robert Anderson (in the collection Inverness Museum and Art Gallery), and one struck with town mark only (see J Foreman 'The Scottish Dirk').
Even 50 - 60 years later marked dirks are rare and it is not until the early Victorian period that we see the practice of marking dirks becoming more commonplace (although never standard).
The blade being marked for London bladesmith Jeffries is also an interesting feature and seems to suggest the blade could have been part of the earlier outfitting of Highland Regiments by King George and recycled into the manufacture of this dirk.