Maritiem Digitaal
collectie zoeksyteem van de maritieme musea
geen titel
titel | geen titel
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inventarisnummer | WPN1278
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collectie | Edged Weapons
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museum | National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
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datum | circa 1794
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omschrijving | Straight-bladed dirk- which belonged to Midshipman John Shortland (active 1794). The hilt of the dirk consists of a gilt crossbar with inversed ends. There is an additional bar on the obverse of the crossbar- which stands out for nearly 25mm- and has five small balls in its centre. A small gilt foul anchor fills the space between the crossbar and the centre ball. The dirk has a small gilt ferrule. The dirk has an octagonal gilt pommel- but there is no fitting to accommodate a dirk knot. The white ivory grip is fluted. The dirk has a prominent tang button. The steel blade is straight- of flattened-diamond section with a fuller 298mm long- beginning 51mm from the guard and continuing to within 56mm of the point. The blade is of uniform taper and double edged- the reverse fuller being 6mm shorter than the obverse fuller. From the little that remains- it seems likely that the scabbard was made of black leather with two gilt lockets- each with a ring. The top locket has a frog stud in addition. There may well have been a gilt chape. A label attached to the dirk reads- 'USED BY JOHN SHORTLAND- MIDSHIPMAN JUNE 1st. 1797'.
Midshipman John Shortland (active 1794) does not appear in the list of 'The Commissioned Sea Officers of the Royal Navy- 1660-1815' and it may therefore be assumed that he was not officially promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. James's 'Naval History of Great Britain' mentions a Midshipman of this name as being amongst the wounded aboard the 'Marlborough' after Lord Howe's victory of The Glorious First of June. It is highly probable that a mistake occurred in writing the label and the date of '1797' ought- to read '1794'. This dirk is almost certainly contemporary with WPN1007 and is very similar in design.
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afmetingen | Blade: 406 x 29 mm
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