Italian Rondel Dagger, Misericorde, First Half 16th C

Description

The rondel dagger was made specifically for thrusting and was popular from the 14th-16^th Century, and was so named due to its disc guard and pommel of same or similar size. This example features 2” diameter iron disc guard with horn and a decorative pierced iron rosette on the blade side. Slightly smaller disc pommel with decorative pierced brass rosette peened on the end. Lovely octagonal brown horn grip with incised horizontal lines and small inlaid white beads. Tapering 13 1/2” (34.3 cm) single-edged blade of slightly hollow-ground flattened triangular section with thickened spine; very sharp, the last 5 1/2” double-edged. Overall length 17 3/8” (44 cm). Such daggers were often used to dispatch wounded soldiers and knights, earning the name “misericorde”, meaning “act of mercy”.