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Vintage European garter dagger /boot knife, mother-of-pearl handle; great condition

$169.99

Likely Sheffield-made garter dagger/1900th gentleman’s boot knife with genuine mother of pearl handle; scarce type in great condition, considering the age. FREE SHIPPING WITHIN THE U.S. INCLUDED.

Out of stock

Description

Sheffield-made garter dagger / late 1800th – early 1900th gentleman’s boot knife with genuine mother of pearl handle. Scarce type in great condition, considering the age.

Rare antique concealed-carry lady’s stiletto commonly known as a “garter dagger”, or a “prostitute dagger”. Larger type were also called “gambler’s daggers”. These handy little stilettos would normally be tacked into a boot or discreetly carried hanging off a lady’s leg garter. Kind of like envisioned on one of the Western Americana paintings by the famous illustrator Harry L. Parkhurst (see a scan copy of the famous artist attached). However, contrary to the common believe, this type has not been exclusively used by women of the “oldest profession”. Firearms of the era were bulky, hard to reload, and just generally not very reliable. Small daggers on the other hand were easy to conceal in oversized garments of the “good old days”, were light/always ready for use, and are deadly at close range. Not to mention, one would never “run out of bullets” with a knife. These dual-edge stilettos were very popular with women (and men) of all classes, regardless of what the name implies.

This attractive specimen with a genuine mother of pearl handle and iron S-guard was likely made in Sheffield, England circa late 1890th – early 1900th. The blade is completely unmarked; possibly was etched at the factory but not a trace of it is visible now. The handle is a single chunk of polished mother of pearl (natural aquatic shell). The handle has a thin hairline crack near the guard on one side but it’s mostly a cosmetic issue; the handle is solid, all parts are tight with no play. The dagger is about 9-5/8” / 24.5 cm overall; the blade is about 5-3/4” / 14.5 cm long. The dagger has a slim profile and is slightly curved to better “hug” the body – likely more of a boot dagger than a “garter stiletto”.  The edges are very sharp still; the tip is intact.  The sheath did not survive.

This rare Sheffield-made garter dagger / boot dirk has not been cleaned or tampered with in any way; it is in 100% original “as is” condition; these are the actual photos. Don’t miss your chance to add this antique garter dagger to your collection!  I have a few more vintage European knives, as well as WW2 era combat knives and bayonets, scarce WW1 and WW2 fighting daggers and trench knives from other countries available for sale – please take a look in our Militaria section.

Argocoins accepts all major credit cards and payments via PayPal as forms of payment. Please email  me at info@argocoins.com if you would like to make a credit card purchase over the phone. Old-fashioned checks and money orders will work just as well; please take a look at the Payments section within our Terms and Conditions for mailing instructions and additional details. Follow me on Facebook @argoman400BC to keep an eye on the latest additions and promotions.

FREE USPS PRIORITY MAIL SHIPPING WITHIN THE U.S. FOR THIS ITEM

International shipping for this item will be $39 and up to most countries on our “ship-to” list.

Additional information

Weight 1.1 lbs

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