Please help - Henry VII Dagger

[Ipcress]

I'm saying early to mid 19th, possibly made in Dieppe

[Ipcress]

In fact, having said that and searched for Dieppe specifically, i found this

http://www.oriental-arms.com/photos.php?id=3754



Note particularly the style of carving and the calligraphy used for the name. The " font " is basically identical. The blade is also a match.


You should contact the museum in Dieppe

chateau-musee@mairie-dieppe.fr

[Makafi]

Thank you so much!! For sure I'll contact them.

I've just received valuation from Value My Stuff - seems so incompetent when compared with your findings, or maybe they think their target customers are not so curious:

Date: 1840-1870s.

This is an "antique" replica most likely sold on a "grand tour. This so called "fantasy piece" was extremely expensive when sold as original in 1860s. The Grand Tour was the traditional trip in Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. Though primarily associated with the British nobility and wealthy landed gentry, similar trips were made by wealthy young men of other countries including the U.S. The tradition was extended to include more of the middle class after rail and steamship travel made the journey less of a burden, and the tour was considered a "right of passage" for young men.

Value:
£1,500 - £2,000

[Ipcress]

There's more explanation of a Grand Tour than the item itself !

However, they've given a similar date to me and Dieppe may have been a stop off point on a Grand Tour. More likely it was made there and sold in a top class emporium in Paris, London etc and possibly presented to someone as a gift or coming of age present, possibly to be passed on down through the family. Unfortunately, the history and provenance is lost but it's still a lovely item.

[Makafi]

Do you think the valuation is accurate?

[Ipcress]

If i was cataloguing it for auction i would want a lower estimate, although i'd hope it would reach the figure they've given.

A couple of years ago i catalogued an ivory plaque by this artist / sculptor

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O89694/oliver-cromwell-1599-1658-relief-van-der-hagen/

Very few are sold at auction and the subject was unknown, unlike his carvings of Cromwell, Elisabeth I etc. I managed to get it into the catalogue in the hundreds...it fetched £6,000 ( more than £7,000 when adding commission )

It can be risky but i usually find that the more people who think they've a chance, the higher the price. Get the people in the rooms, get the internet bidders, get the people on the phones. Smack a big price on something and usually the bidders don't register their interest.

Contact the museum
Contact that website i've linked to, ask them how much they sold that dagger for, and if they reply know that yours is better.

[Makafi]

I'll do that. Thanks a million!

Sorry to be a pain but I'm a total newbie - can you reccomend where to sell it in the UK?

[Ipcress]

You South or North ?

[Makafi]

Bristol