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Early Chinese Naval Dagger


Kanemono
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Here is an early Chinese dagger. I believe it dates around 1900. Chinese naval swords and daggers are quite rare.

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I have never seen one of these Naval daggers. Does it have the same style of blade, with a central fuller, as the Army dagger?

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I don't think I have seen a Qing dynasty dagger in that design before? Where are you getting the info that it is from 1900? I will ask a friend who is very knowledgeable in Chinese daggers.

 

Also, the few Chinese, post-Qing, navy daggers that I have seen, closely resembles Royal Navy daggers and not Chinese Army dagger design.

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Hi Hsin C.,

I am not sure that the naval dagger dates form 1900. What I should have said was that I think it dates form 1900-1920's. I do know that many Chinese weapons and military Items were produced in the west around 1900 and the Boxer Rebellion. I have a German made Chinese sword and belt buckle brought home from China by a Marine officer who served in the Boxer Rebellion. My guess of the time period of the naval dagger comes from my collecting Chinese daggers and from friends who also collected them. When I started collecting the daggers in the late 80's they were very inexpensive because no one wanted them. The average Chinese dagger sold for $10 to $15, Air Force and unusual pieces were $30-$40.Myself and friends built up collections of multi dozens of daggers. The early daggers were totally hand made and engraved while the later pieces were die stamped with a few, like the Air Force daggers, having cast brass hilts. There are no books published in English on Chinese daggers that I am aware of. The date on the naval dagger is just a guess so of you are able to shed light on it's time period your help would be much appreciated. I sold and traded my collection a few years ago when prices on Chinese daggers were very high but I did photograph the better pieces which I will share. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Here are some of the pieces I had. All gone now but fun while I had them.

Dick

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Thanks for the picture. Nice collection. It would be nice if prices were at that. I guess same with milsurp rifles too.. I have my Mosin Nagant 1895 rifle bought it for $100, 10 years ago and it seemed to go for $400 now..

 

I am not sure if there is a dating period when comparing hand engraved to stamped versions. I have assumed it would have depended what the local shop technique or maybe a preference a Chinese officer would have wanted. I have a few that are stamped, and some are poorly done and another that is much better quality. I just bought my first air force dagger, it was much much cheaper than the typical price these days. Even with the rising prices there are many fakes coming out of China, but they are easy to spot in most cases.

 

I asked my friend in China about it, he is not sure what the dagger is for. He also helped contribute to Jan Culbertson's book on Chinese swords and daggers. I don't have the book, but I will probably get it someday.

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