Large English Scalper: Grand Portage
Jul 5, 2020 6:01:38 GMT -7
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Post by paranger on Jul 5, 2020 6:01:38 GMT -7
This large (7") English scalper is my attempt at a bench copy of a specific surviving blade in the Grand Portage museum collection.
The original is attributed to William Parker, whose "Sword-over-V-over-I" mark is registered with the Hallamshire cutler's guild ca. 1739. It sports many of the typical features of pre-Revolutionary English trade knives, including a 3 pin, half-width tang, and curved spine with "upswept" tip. An unusual feature, though, is the tang which angles down rather than continuing the curve of the spine, giving the knife a tip-down aspect when held, similar to typical French boucheron designs. (Could it be a deliberate attempt to copy a French design known to be popular with Great Lakes tribes as seen in features of some English trade guns of the period?)
In this case, I chose the common European beech as a handle material in the faceted, or octagonal profile, though the original does not survive.
The original is attributed to William Parker, whose "Sword-over-V-over-I" mark is registered with the Hallamshire cutler's guild ca. 1739. It sports many of the typical features of pre-Revolutionary English trade knives, including a 3 pin, half-width tang, and curved spine with "upswept" tip. An unusual feature, though, is the tang which angles down rather than continuing the curve of the spine, giving the knife a tip-down aspect when held, similar to typical French boucheron designs. (Could it be a deliberate attempt to copy a French design known to be popular with Great Lakes tribes as seen in features of some English trade guns of the period?)
In this case, I chose the common European beech as a handle material in the faceted, or octagonal profile, though the original does not survive.
