"holbein" Dance Of Death Dagger

Switzerland, second half of the 19th century

Carved marine ivory and engraved steel

Total length: 36.5 cm

A remarkable historicist ceremonial dagger, inspired by Swiss Renaissance daggers known as Schweizerdolche or “Holbein daggers.”

The marine ivory hilt features the characteristic silhouette of this type of weapon: a tapered grip framed by a guard and a pommel that are strongly flared and crescent-shaped, with their contours highlighted by double incised fillets.

The scabbard, also made of marine ivory, is adorned on its main face with a spectacular Dance of Death carved in high relief. In a dense and lively composition, skeletons drag figures from various walks of life—a sovereign, soldiers, women, and dignitaries—illustrating the universal and inescapable nature of death.

This design draws direct inspiration from the compositions created in the 16th century by Hans Holbein the Younger for dagger scabbards. This famous design experienced a significant resurgence in popularity in the 19th century, amid the Romantic era’s fascination with the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

The reverse side of the sheath, more understated, is decorated with a latticework of crossbars forming diamond shapes, punctuated by small metal cabochons. The pommel is carved with a grimacing mask set within foliage scrollwork in the Neo-Renaissance style.

The broad, straight, double-edged blade, with a diamond-shaped cross-section, is engraved on both sides with a symmetrical composition of foliage scrolls and floral motifs. A central cartouche, surmounted by a crown, bears the initials “WK.” A small hallmark in the shape of a flower or clover is stamped on the heel of the blade.

The initials “WK” may refer to the weapon’s owner or patron. In the absence of the full mark typically used by Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co., they do not allow for a definitive attribution of the blade to this Solingen manufacturer.

This dagger is a particularly decorative example of the historicist style of the second half of the 19th century, intended for a collector of antique weapons and Neo-Renaissance objects.

In very good overall condition. Some signs of wear and old oxidation spots on the blade.