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Lot Essay
One of the three dirks is inscribed with the family mottoes NE OBLIVISCARIS (do not forget) and SANS PEUR (without fear), and each motto is accompanied by the familys crest: a boar's head and an upright cat, respectively. One can be attributed to the Campbell family of Argyllshire, Scotland, while the other is that of the Sutherland family of Scotland. These two families came together in 1844 upon the marriage of George Douglas Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll, and Elizabeth Sutherland Lveson-Gower, daughter of the 2nd Duke of Sutherland. It is probable that this dirk was made for and owned by their son, Sir John Douglas Sutherland Campbell (1845 - 1914). He is likely to have acquired this dirk in England from manufacturer S.J. Pillin before his marriage to Princess Louise, daughter of Queen Victoria in 1871.
Sir John Douglas Sutherland Campbell spent much of his life in England as the Marquess of Lorne, a title given to him at the mere age of 21 months and became 9th Duke of Argyll at age 54 in 1900. He also served as a member of the House of Commons (1868 - 78 and 1895 - 1900), Governor General of Canada (1878 - 1883), and Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle (1892 - 1914).
Sir John Douglas Sutherland Campbell spent much of his life in England as the Marquess of Lorne, a title given to him at the mere age of 21 months and became 9th Duke of Argyll at age 54 in 1900. He also served as a member of the House of Commons (1868 - 78 and 1895 - 1900), Governor General of Canada (1878 - 1883), and Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle (1892 - 1914).