I folks,
I bought this from Tom Wittman some time ago and was curious what the going price is? I looked on his site and he doesnt have any.
Im debating about selling it and want to get a realistic idea.
Here is his original description.
"IMPNVL - 015 -IMPERIAL MODEL 1902 NAVAL OFFICER W/ IVORY GRIP AND DAMAST BLADE- W.K.C.
This naval dirk is well used and shows its age, but it is still in a collectible state and quite beautiful if you like the untouched look. It is a more diminutive style, having petite fittings throughout. The overall length of this piece is 15 inches. The pommel is a most beautiful open-finial variety. It has great detail to the panels, having beading around the borders of all eight of them. These panels depict a cross and alternate Prussian eagle. The finials rise upward duplicating the beaded surfaces, and there is a "squared" cross on the top. This pommel is threaded on to the tang, and wobbles slightly on the way off, but when made tight, it is in position. The matching crossguard has fine capstan ends and a high relief fouled anchor on both sides of the center block. The center block is nicely random pebbled in the backgrounds. The grip of this example is a most attractive ivory. The ivory has turned almost a chocolate brown color on the reverse, and the obverse is slightly lighter toned. The grip has nice cracks running along both edges, but the surfaces of the obverse and reverse are crack free. The collar portions of the ivory grip at the top and bottom (the portions which slip into the pommel and crossguard) have long gone to time. As long as the pommel is kept tight however, this does not effect the dirk, as we have also installed a wooden shim between the grip and tang area insides to keep it tight. This grip is wrapped with single twisted brass wire and there is lots of residue and dirt in the crevices. While I had this dagger apart, I took a look at the tang of the damascus blade. This blade was made by the master Smith Max Dinger, as it is stamped "M+D M+D" The other side of the tang is numbered, "7670" and a smaller "26". The scabbard is also a smaller, delicate type and is most unusual. It has a hammered surface. This design appears to have been applied over a lightning bolt design. The hammering, however, stops where the lightning bolts begin. The changeover is separated with an arch-shape line. The lightning bolts and acanthus leaves below are deeply engraved and heavily enhanced. The old palmettes still show through the hammering. The bands are a very odd style, which appear to be a form of guilloche, meaning that they resemble ropes around pilings. The design though is different than I have seen in the past. The bands are equipped with plain surfaced eyelets, and the rings are also plain. There is a "pinch" dent at the obverse and reverse are of the scabbard, at about the top of the acanthus leaves. This dent can not be reached for removal as the throat is a style which appears to be soldered into the scabbard and does not come out. (If you can't get the throat out, you can't get the dents out). The blade is quite short, measuring only slightly over 7 and 1/4 inches. It was shortened during the period, and is also shorter than the scabbard. This is an anomaly we see frequently with Imperial daggers, as this was the way they were balanced. Normally there are no weights in Imperial daggers. This blade has double fullers, which run to the tip, being a sure indication it was shortened. The tip is needle-point sharp, and the ricasso is the style having an arched border design. The blade is fairly dark, but the maiden hair patterns can be seen beneath without a problem. I'm sure this blade could be cleaned up substantially should someone wish to rub it with some light emery paper or steel wool. The obverse ricasso is stamped with the smaller knighthead logo used at the turn of the century. There is a green felt washer in place, which we installed. The blade is retained with a lock mechanism, but there is no push button to operate it. It never had one but seems to work fine. This is a fine dirk with all the bells and whistles, however it shows much age, and is not in the greatest condition. "
thanks for any info.
I bought this from Tom Wittman some time ago and was curious what the going price is? I looked on his site and he doesnt have any.
Im debating about selling it and want to get a realistic idea.
Here is his original description.
"IMPNVL - 015 -IMPERIAL MODEL 1902 NAVAL OFFICER W/ IVORY GRIP AND DAMAST BLADE- W.K.C.
This naval dirk is well used and shows its age, but it is still in a collectible state and quite beautiful if you like the untouched look. It is a more diminutive style, having petite fittings throughout. The overall length of this piece is 15 inches. The pommel is a most beautiful open-finial variety. It has great detail to the panels, having beading around the borders of all eight of them. These panels depict a cross and alternate Prussian eagle. The finials rise upward duplicating the beaded surfaces, and there is a "squared" cross on the top. This pommel is threaded on to the tang, and wobbles slightly on the way off, but when made tight, it is in position. The matching crossguard has fine capstan ends and a high relief fouled anchor on both sides of the center block. The center block is nicely random pebbled in the backgrounds. The grip of this example is a most attractive ivory. The ivory has turned almost a chocolate brown color on the reverse, and the obverse is slightly lighter toned. The grip has nice cracks running along both edges, but the surfaces of the obverse and reverse are crack free. The collar portions of the ivory grip at the top and bottom (the portions which slip into the pommel and crossguard) have long gone to time. As long as the pommel is kept tight however, this does not effect the dirk, as we have also installed a wooden shim between the grip and tang area insides to keep it tight. This grip is wrapped with single twisted brass wire and there is lots of residue and dirt in the crevices. While I had this dagger apart, I took a look at the tang of the damascus blade. This blade was made by the master Smith Max Dinger, as it is stamped "M+D M+D" The other side of the tang is numbered, "7670" and a smaller "26". The scabbard is also a smaller, delicate type and is most unusual. It has a hammered surface. This design appears to have been applied over a lightning bolt design. The hammering, however, stops where the lightning bolts begin. The changeover is separated with an arch-shape line. The lightning bolts and acanthus leaves below are deeply engraved and heavily enhanced. The old palmettes still show through the hammering. The bands are a very odd style, which appear to be a form of guilloche, meaning that they resemble ropes around pilings. The design though is different than I have seen in the past. The bands are equipped with plain surfaced eyelets, and the rings are also plain. There is a "pinch" dent at the obverse and reverse are of the scabbard, at about the top of the acanthus leaves. This dent can not be reached for removal as the throat is a style which appears to be soldered into the scabbard and does not come out. (If you can't get the throat out, you can't get the dents out). The blade is quite short, measuring only slightly over 7 and 1/4 inches. It was shortened during the period, and is also shorter than the scabbard. This is an anomaly we see frequently with Imperial daggers, as this was the way they were balanced. Normally there are no weights in Imperial daggers. This blade has double fullers, which run to the tip, being a sure indication it was shortened. The tip is needle-point sharp, and the ricasso is the style having an arched border design. The blade is fairly dark, but the maiden hair patterns can be seen beneath without a problem. I'm sure this blade could be cleaned up substantially should someone wish to rub it with some light emery paper or steel wool. The obverse ricasso is stamped with the smaller knighthead logo used at the turn of the century. There is a green felt washer in place, which we installed. The blade is retained with a lock mechanism, but there is no push button to operate it. It never had one but seems to work fine. This is a fine dirk with all the bells and whistles, however it shows much age, and is not in the greatest condition. "
thanks for any info.
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