Fine matchlocks like this one from the late 16th or early 17th century are almost nonexistent. Its length suggests that it is a carbine (designed for use by cavalry). The barrel is two-stage octagonal and round with a cannon turned muzzle. Near the breach the barrel has decorative inlays in brass and an obscured maker`s cartouche. The flash pan is attached to the lock, rather than the barrel, as on most early matchlocks. The walnut stock`s butt is of a style that was popular in Brescia and influenced the style in Catalonia. Most of the nail heads on the butt are covered with brass. The butt, trigger plate, and barrel bands are all decorated with Moorish-style inlays. The ramrod has been replaced.
The bronze hilts of two daggers are shown at the right. They are almost identical, but it's likely that the one on the left side of the photo spent most of the last 450 years buried in South Carolina near Port Royal Sound. It was unearthed by Jack Williams in the early 1960s. The other he purchased from a private collection over a decade later. This second dagger still has its original scabbard. Williams believed that the excavated dagger came from the French settlement of Charlesfort, or from the Spanish occupation that followed called Santa Elena.
Both daggers have cast bronze hilts with steel blades. The period clothing and armor of the French officer that forms each hilt indicates their origin. The officer is leaning on matchlock, his left hand wrapped around its muzzle. His right hand rests on a dagger in a leather carry which was called a frog. Below the frog hangs a pouch to hold balls and cloth patches, a large flask to hold priming powder, and several small flasks to hold premesured single charges. The scabbard is also of cast bronze with classical motifs in high relief. Ornate designs like these would have been expensive, so the daggers must have belonged to men who were well off.
This excavated Left-Hand Spanish Parrying Dagger was found near Cape Canaveral Florida. The 4 1/2 inch hilt has a large scent-stopper shaped pommel, a cross-guard (quillon) with turned down finials and a ring guard (anneau). The 9 1/2 inch needle-point blade has two grooves (fullers) on each side or a hollow ground cross-section.
This excavated Left-Hand Parrying Dagger was found at an undisclosed location. The 5 1/2 inch hilt has turned down finials on the cross-guard (quillon) and a side ring guard (anneau) fitted with an openwork metal plate the pommel is missing. The 14 3/4 inch spear point blade has a diamond shaped cross section.
This excavated Left-Hand Spanish Parrying Dagger was reportedly found near the Rio Grande river in New Mexico. It may date from exploration of the area by Coronado 1540-1542. The 5 inch hilt has a large scent-stopper shaped pommel, a curved cross-guard (quillon) and a side ring guard (anneau) fitted with an openwork metal plate. The previous owner stabilized the side ring plate using solder. The 13 3/4 inch needle-point blade has two grooves (fullers) on each side.
This excavated Left-Hand Parrying Dagger or Short Sword, was reportedly found near the Rio Grande river in New Mexico. It may date from exploration of the area by Coronado 1540-1542. The 5 3/8 inch hilt has a large scent-stopper shaped pommel, a curved cross-guard (quillon) and a ring guard (anneau) with a turned down finial. The 14 inch spear point blade has three grooves (fullers) on each side.
This excavated Left-Hand Parrying Dagger was found at an undisclosed location. The 5 1/2 inch hilt has a large plum shaped pommel, turned down finials on the cross-guard (quillon) and a side ring guard (anneau) fitted with an pierced metal plate. The 13 inch needle-point blade has diamond shaped cross section.
This excavated Left-Hand Parrying Dagger was found at an undisclosed location on the west coast of Florida. The 4 inch hilt has a large flat oval pommel, an S-shaped cross-guard (quillon) and a side ring guard (anneau). The blade is 13 3/4 inches long and has a diamond shape cross section.
This dagger was unearthed near Tampa Bay in the early 1960s. The 11 3/4 inch needle-point blade has a hollow ground cross-section. The crossguard with its triangular-shaped quillons and the pommel are both decorated with deep accent grooves. Long narrow daggers like this one are designed for thrusting, piercing, and stabbing. The thin sharp point can fit through gaps in armor and penetrate leather or heavy fabric. This style of dagger was often used to deliver the death blow to a seriously wounded adversary, hence the name misericordia which is Latin for 'mercy'.
