"Masonic Dagger 19th"
This solid dagger is obviously Masonic, and its symbolism is clear, so I will be concise in my description.The BLADE: it is triangular, with 3 hollow sides. This number 3 is omnipresent in Masonry: The Delta, the 3 journeys, the triple brace, the 3 Great Lights, etc.... This blade is robust, it is not a decorative blade, it would be capable of piercing the rings of any chain mail...
Length of the blade 18.7 cm, width near the guard 1.3 cm, thickness near the guard 1.1 cm
The HANDLE: it is made of bronze, and ends with a skull, which rests on 3 bones, probably tibias, the guard being composed of 2 other intersecting bones, which appear to be femurs.
The symbolism of the skull is obvious, at first reading, it evokes profane death, but it obviously contains many other meanings. The 3 erect Shins are one more representation of the number 3. With the two crossed bones of the guard, 3+2 = 5, they can, among other things, represent the 5 journeys (3+2) of initiation, but also of course the 5 senses, the 5 styles of architecture, the age of 5 years of the companion....
There would have a lot to write about the rich symbolism of this dagger, a true "mutus liber", but as I said, I will keep it brief.
Ref D-2434
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