German, c.1900, Böker Jr. Solingen “Dragon Claw and Ball” Handled Dagger

*German, c.1893, Böker Jr. Solingen “Dragon Claw and Ball” Handled Dagger*

A distinctive small dagger by Böker Jr., Solingen, measuring 13.4 cm blade and 23.7 cm overall. The double-edged steel blade with central ridge is faintly stamped “Böker Jr., Solingen, Foreign” at the ricasso. The cast alloy hilt is modelled in dramatic fashion, the spiral grip terminating in a lion’s head pommel, while the guard ends in globular finials. The overall effect is that of a dragon’s claw grasping a ball, a popular decorative motif in the late 19th–early 20th century. Such pieces were produced both as small dirks and as desk daggers or letter openers.

Historical Note
The word “FOREIGN” was applied to comply with the 1893 British Merchandise Marks Act, which required imported edged weapons and knives to be stamped as such if no country of origin was explicitly given. Many Solingen firms, including Böker Jr., exported these fantasy-handled daggers to Britain and the Empire in the late Victorian and Edwardian period. Böker, one of Solingen’s best-known cutlers, supplied everything from utilitarian knives to elaborate dress and decorative pieces. This dagger reflects the era’s fascination with exotic and heraldic imagery, blending the lion’s head with the “claw and ball” motif.

*Condition*
Blade with patches of staining, light pitting, and areas of surface corrosion, but retains its shape and central ridge. Marking to ricasso legible though rubbed. Cast alloy hilt with patina and handling wear, minor casting flaws visible, but overall sound. No scabbard. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.

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