French Military Officer's Quillon Daggers (Charlesfort Example)

Object Name/Title

French Military Officer's Quillon Daggers (Charlesfort Example)

Catalog Number

111-0012

Physical Description

French military officer's dagger featuring a cast bronze hilt depicting a period-dressed French officer figure. The officer figure is shown in detailed 16th-century military attire, leaning on a matchlock with left hand wrapped around the muzzle. The hilt exhibits high-relief classical motifs and ornate designs characteristic of high-status military weapons of the period. The figure's right hand rests on a leather carry system designed for powder and ammunition storage, including a frog-style holder with attached pouches for balls and patches, a large priming powder flask, and multiple small flasks for pre-measured charges. This sophisticated carrying system indicates the weapon was designed for military officers who needed ready access to both blade and firearm ammunition.

Dagger Type

16th Century French Military Officer's Quillon Dagger

Maker/Workshop

Unknown French workshop

Date of Creation

Circa 1560

Component Materials

Blade: Steel
Hilt: Cast bronze with classical motifs
Scabbard: Cast bronze with high-relief decoration
Carrying System: Leather with bronze fittings

Measurements

Overall Length: 12 inches (30.48 cm)
Overall Width: 2 5/8 inches (6.67 cm)
Hilt Length: 5 1/16 inches (12.86 cm)
Blade Length: 6 15/16 inches (17.62 cm)
Weight: 14 1/4 ounces without scabbard (403.91 g)
Scabbard: 8 1/4 by 1 1/4 inches (20.96 by 3.18 cm), 6oz (170.10 g)

Manufacturing Techniques

Forged steel blade
Cast bronze hilt with high-relief classical motifs
Ornate decorative casting for hilt and scabbard

Edge Configuration

Double-edged blade

Guard Type

Quillon style

Pommel Details

Integrated into the cast bronze officer figure design

Tang Construction

Full tang construction

Object History

One of two nearly identical daggers, this example was excavated by Jack Williams in the early 1960s near Port Royal Sound, South Carolina. The dagger is believed to have originated from the French Huguenot settlement of Charlesfort (1562-1563) or the subsequent Spanish settlement of Santa Elena (1566-1587). The high-quality materials and elaborate decoration suggest ownership by a wealthy military officer. The dagger represents a crucial period in early French colonial attempts in North America, specifically the short-lived Charlesfort settlement established by Jean Ribault for French Huguenot refugees seeking religious freedom in the New World.

Acquisition Source

Archaeological excavation by Frederick Eugene "Jack" Williams III, early 1960s, Port Royal Sound, South Carolina.
The unexcavated example was purchased by Williams from fellow arms collector Herbert G. Ratner Jr

Subject Terms

French colonial weapons; Military officer daggers; Archaeological finds; 16th century arms; Huguenot artifacts; Port Royal Sound; Charlesfort settlement; Santa Elena settlement

Temporal and Spatial Coverage

Temporal: Mid-16th Century (circa 1560)
Spatial: Port Royal Sound, South Carolina; near the site of Charlesfort / Santa Elena

Related Collections

The F.E. Williams III Collection of Antique Weapons and Artifacts

Collection Attribution

Frederick Eugene Williams III (known as Jack Williams), Collector

References and Citations

The History of Charlesfort, University of North Carolina, The South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, and The Institute for Southern Studies

Santa Elena History, University of South Carolina, The South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, and The Institute for Southern Studies

Powder Horns in the Southern Tradition, Museum of Florida History (1985), Powder Horns Exhibit Team Curator: Patricia R. Wickman

Rights Statement

© weaponscollector.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0). Attribution required: "From the F.E. Williams III Collection at weaponscollector.com