St. Croix Blades buys collections of 19th Century Bowie knives and folding dirks.  Contact Us using the link above or call us at 715-557-1688 to sell your collection of 19th Century knives.  St. Croix Blades also buys individual pieces from this time period.  

1 fine & rare antique 19th Century Folding Dirk with exceptionally rare 2 piece CAST German silver scales by G. Ibberson, Sheffield available.  This knife would make an important addition to any collection.

This 19th Century Folding Dirk is in exceptional condition.  It was well cared for.

This Sheffield folding dirk with a 3 dimensional, very desirable Federal Eagle with a shield on it's chest was intended for a wealthy Patriotic American gentleman in the burgeoning American Market to use as a primary or back up self defense weapon. 

The Ibberson name was first associated with cutlery in 1666, the year of the Great London Fire; and their cutlery business was founded in 1700. They were active in the 1700s, and were located at Gibraltar street from 1805 to 1842. They moved to Mary street in 1842, to the Exchange Gateway Works in 1861, to West Street in 1911, and then to Rockingham street. 

Gentlemen during this time period would typically carry a brace of single shot percussion pistols which were prone to misfiring. Gentlemen would also typically carry a folding knife in their pocket or vest; or sometimes a less expensive fixed blade dirk or Bowie knife as a side arm on their belt as a back up weapon. Folding dirks were expensive at the time, and are many times rarer than their fixed blade counterparts. These folding dirk knives were made only as a self-defense weapon for personal protection, and fall into the romantic era of weapons.

This Dirk overall is about 9 1/4" long open, with a single edged 1830's style triangular shaped dirk blade about 4 1/8" long.  The blade top has a grind of about 1/4" at the ricasso that tapers and ends at the blade tip. The liners are brass.  The scales are very unusual two pieces of CAST German silver which makes this dirk extremely unusual and rare; as well as hefty for it's size at 4.1 ounces or 118 grams.  The fancy ribbed hilt borders with leaf motif is a very unusual pattern.

A knife like this sold in August, 2018 on eBay for $4,595. 

This dirk blade locks tightly in the open locked position, with no side to side play and no play forward and backward.  The German silver scales are in excellent condition.  There is occasional light pitting on the blade.