Dirk

Dirk, which belonged to Commander Hugh Bouverie Deedes (died 1969). The hilt of the dirk consists of a cruciform, slightly inversed cross-guard which has acorn finials. At the centre of the cross is an oval badge/plaque, which is decorated in high relief with an embossed crown over a foul anchor, surrounded by a laurel wreath. The guard is pierced just behind the grip to take a steel spring, which is secured to the top of the scabbard. The dirk has a lion's-head pommel and back-piece, the mane extending to the flatted ferrule at the top of the grip. There is a ring in the lion's mouth, which contains a damaged textile dirk-knot. The white fish-skin grip is bound with three copper wires.

The steel blade is straight, flat-backed, single-edged with a false edge some 190mm long. The blade has a symmetrical point, and is etched for some 395mm from the hilt. The obverse of the blade is engraved at the shoulder with the words 'GIEVE, MATTHEW SEAGROVE LTD LONDON PORTSMOUTH & DEVONPORT', and is decorated with interwoven foliage and scrolls, the Royal cypher 'GvR' surmounted by a crown with rays above and further interwoven foliage and scrolls. The reverse of the blade is decorated with the Shield of David, containing a plain hexagon, foliage and scrolls on either side of a plain romantic shield, a foul anchor surmounted by a crown with rays above and further interwoven foliage and scrolls. The foliage decoration is based on oak. The black leather scabbard is sewn down the reverse, and is fitted with a gilt brass top locket with a ring each side and a gilt brass chape. Both mounts are decorated with threads and scrolls. The chape is also decorated with a formalised honeysuckle motif. The chape has a small, ornamental shoe. A rusted steel spring is fastened to the back of the top locket by two screws and passes through a gilt brass loop. The reverse of the locket is engraved with the initials 'H.B.D.'

Commander Hugh Bouverie Deedes (died 1969) became a Midshipman on the 15th May 1911 and was promoted to the rank of Sub-Lieutenant on the 15th March 1914; to Lieutenant on the 15th June 1915; to Lieutenant-Commander on the 15th June 1923; to Commander on the 14th November 1936 and he died in 1969. Commander Deedes served in both World Wars and was largely concerned with the Ordnance Committee for much of the later part of his career. See also WPN1459, which belonged to Commander Hugh Bouverie Deedes.

Object Details

ID: WPN1460
Collection: Weapons
Type: Dirk
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Gieve, Matthews & Seagrove Limited
Places: London
Date made: circa 1911
People: Deedes, Hugh Bouverie; Ordnance Committee Gieve, Matthews & Seagrove Limited
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Blade: 457 x 24 mm
Parts: Dirk
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