Croatia, Republic. A War of Independence Dagger 1991-1995

Dagger with a polished nickel-plated steel blade, magnetic, with very sharp edges and a semi-sharp tip, one side with a single fuller, the other side with twin fullers, the base of the blade with a hardened black leather washer, the blade measuring 185 mm in length. The bolster acts as a narrow crossguard and houses a ferrule (wraparound band) that bears the Croatian interlace. The handle incorporates the extended portion of the blade in the centre, including the pommel, and bears the Croatian interlace design on both side panels, the handle with wooden plates on both sides and secured in place via two rivets. Both sides have an intricately hand-engraved metal Croatian "checkerboard" shield added to the pommel area on the wooden handle, the areas representing the white portions of the shield engraved with vertical rules, with the one rivet on one side having also been engraved with these rules as it passes through the shield, the dagger measuring 303 mm in length overall. The accompanying scabbard in polished silvered metal, magnetic, the throat with a single rivet on the obverse, with two bands wrapped around the body of the scabbard butting the rivet, the end point finished in a snub-nosed ball finial. Each of the bands has a u-shaped riser on the reverse that houses a smooth-finished dark brown wide leather strap that extends outward and has a horizontal strap at its far end with snap closure to secure the dagger in place, the scabbard measuring 200 mm in length. The blade exhibits light scratches overall, common to extraction and return to the scabbard, the dagger with contact marks present on the metal portions, the scabbard with pitting, contact marks and surface wear evident. Very fine.