Manufactured c. the early 18th century, this is a beautiful example of a very large hunting or belt dagger. This dagger shows the styling and attributes of having been made somewhere in the Eastern Mediterranean region, possibly as far east as modern Pakistan and Northern India. The dagger was likely made for one of the many markets of the British Empire, which was rapidly expanding all over the globe. Ornate daggers and small swords such as this were popular among gentry throughout Europe during the period for the final dispatch of their prey while hunting, should it be necessary. It measures 19 1/2 inches overall with a 14 3/8 inch spearpoint blade with no visible maker's marks. The serpentine guard is silver with relief chiseled floral motifs and pinwheel finials as well as lion's head and Brittania hallmarks dating from 1697-1718 and an unidentified maker's mark. The mark is "CH" within a shield, with a dot over each letter and a five-pointed star below the letters. Below the guard is a banded and dagged bolster, also of silver. The multi-faceted grip is of attractive orange agate. The silver pommel is of a low bun shape with attractive filework and a visibly peened tang. The sheath is of black leather with incised border lines and a dagged silver bolster at the throat which matches the knife.

Fine, the blade is mostly bright with some scattered patches of mild pitting, a few of them leading to slight edge loss, and a few spots of light oxidation near the guard. The silver shows an attractively aged patina overall with some light dings. The grip is very fine with a minor crack and otherwise very light handling marks. The sheath is good with some material loss near the tip and moderate wear. A very attractive early 18th century dagger!