Sale!

JOSEPH ALLEN & SONS Sheffield lady’s garter dagger 1890th NON•XLL stiletto knife, stag handle; great condition

$149.95

Original Joseph Allen Sons Sheffield NON XLL garter dagger antique 1890th stiletto knife, stag/German silver fittings handle; great overall condition. FREE SHIPPING WITHIN THE U.S. INCLUDED.

1 in stock

Description

Joseph Allen Sons Sheffield NON XLL garter dagger antique 1890th stiletto knife, stag/German silver fittings handle; great overall condition, considering the age.

Rare circa 1890th concealed-carry Joseph Allen & Sons lady’s stiletto commonly known as a “garter dagger”, or a “prostitute dagger”. These handy little stilettos would normally be tacked into a boot or discreetly carried hanging off a lady’s leg garter – just like envisioned on one of 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 “oldest profession”. Firearms of the era were bulky, heavy, hard to reload, and generally just 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 a 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.

Scarce circa 1890th concealed-carry lady’s “garter dagger” with dual-edge stiletto blade and a genuine stag handle. This stiletto is in great overall condition, considering the age; made by the famous Joseph Allen & Sons in Sheffield, England. Sheffield-made knives always played a big part in American history. From the Gold Rushes in California and Yukon to the battles the Civil War and in the frontier – Sheffield Bowies and daggers were hugely popular in every corner of the United States.

This garter dagger is used, but it is in better than average condition for the type; the blade is very sharp still; the tip is intact. Stag handle with German silver fittings had developed an age-related crack near the rim collar but it’s more of a cosmetic issue; all handle parts are solid with no play. Ricasso is stamped NON•XLL / JOSEPH / ALLEN & SONS / SHEFFIELD / ENGLAND on one side. The dagger is about 8-1/2″ / 21.5 cm overall; the blade is about 4-1/2″ / 11.4 cm long. All parts are tight; there is no sheath.  Hard to find Joseph Allen Sons Sheffield NON XLL garter dagger/stiletto knife is in excellent overall condition – a great find!

This Joseph Allen Sons Sheffield NON XLL garter dagger is in very good overall condition; considering the age. Don’t miss your chance to add this antique garter dagger to your collection! The knife has not been cleaned or tampered with in any way; 100% original “as is” condition; these are the actual photos.  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

You may also like…