Beschreibung:

AN ITALIAN SILVER-HILTED HUNTING KNIFE
FIRST HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY
AN ITALIAN SILVER-HILTED HUNTING KNIFE FIRST HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY With robust single-edged fullered leaf-shaped blade double-edged towards the point with later chiselled and gilt ornament to each face involving a gentleman hunter and lady in contemporary attire on one side, the same hunter mounted on a horse on the reverse, panels of scrollwork inhabited by birds, serpents and dragons against a gilt stippled ground, and each fuller respectively signed 'FERDINANDO II RE' and 'DELLE DUE SICILIE' in gold along with a gold-inlaid fleur-de-lys, the flat edges of the blade engraved with a dedication, turned collar engraved 'P. VILLANO FECE', and swelled silver grip respectively engraved in low relief on each face with a standing male and female figure each in contemporary attire against a gilt ground, the figures bordered by engraved scrollwork, and with disc-shaped engraved pommel, in original tooled brown leather sheath with later gilt crowned 'F.II' cypher and the initials 'RE' 16¾in. (42.6cm.) overall