Rennaisance or Victorian? training main gauche
Measurements
A blunted / foiled main gauche training dagger. We're still doing the research to determine if this is a Renaissance or Victorian piece - checking with some rapier specialist friends to find out exactly when such a blunted main gauche would have come into use. The blade is extremely stiff (this ain't no flexi-dagger!), and has a strong distinct ricasso. Blade is slightly rectangular, measuring 6/16" by 5/16" right above the ricasso, tapering to 3/16" by 5/32" at the integral blunted tip. The guard and ring loop are quite solidly riveted together, with the ends of the guard curving slightly away from the ring side. Grip is wood (that was once wire-wrapped), with a peened-on tang through the spiral pommel. At some point in this dagger's career, someone tightened the guard/grip junction by winding a thick white cotton thread at the junction (visible in the closeups above). The scabbard is a modern "what if" reproduction, made of leather covered wood with brass furniture, and should be completely ignored by friends and rapier enthusiasts helping us to date this weapon.
This similar main gauche is in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It
is from the collection of Alfred Hutton (see "The Sword and the Centuries",
Barnes & Noble, 1995 edition, p. 75), and is dated at circa 1600:
length: 19:
blade: 12 1/2"
blade width: see below
grip and pommel: 5 3/4"
guard: 6 1/2" quillons, 1 1/4" ring
weight (dagger): 1 lb 1.2 oz
weight (dagger & scabbard): 1 lb 7.2 oz
