The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 24, 2025

Dagger

late 1600s

Italy, late 17th Century

steel and ivory
Overall: 30.2 cm (11 7/8 in.); Blade: 20.3 cm (8 in.); Quillions: 6.4 cm (2 1/2 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1713
Location: 210A Armor Court

Description

The carved grip of this dagger depicts the female followers of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.
  • Brett, Frank Gair Macomber; Boston; cat. #322.
  • Gilchrist, Helen Ives. A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924. Mentioned: p. 227, I47; Reproduced: Plate XLVI, I47 archive.org
    Cleveland Museum of Art, and Helen Ives Gilchrist. Handbook of the Severance Collection of Arms and Armor. 2d ed., 1948. Reproduction: p. 48 archive.org
  • Armor Court Reinstallation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).
    The Cleveland Museum of Art (09/10/1998); "Armor Court Reinstallation"
  • {{cite web|title=Dagger|url=false|author=|year=late 1600s|access-date=24 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1713