ARTILLERIA FABRICA DE TOLEDO, SPAIN, DATED 1883 AD

This very fine dagger and the silver and gold-damascened dish (see previous lot) illustrate the renewed interest in the second half of the 19th century in the metalworking technique, damascene, as purveyed by Spanish craftsmen. Damascene – the inlay of metals into engraved iron – enjoyed great popularity in Spain during the Renaissance, and its revival at the end of the 19th century was brought about largely due to the work of the Zuloaga family in Eibar in the Basque country, who created elaborate furniture, boxes, mirrors and other objets d’art that intertwined both the European and Islamic, mostly Nasrid artistic influences of the Iberian peninsula. These were very much appreciated by the Spanish monarchy, with commands made by Queen Isabel II and were particularly popular throughout Europe, notably in England. This dagger was made in Toledo, a city famous for its production of fine blades and where the Royal Sword Factory (Artilleria Fabricá de Toledo) was located.