Ladies' dagger, gilded and blued, FABRICA DE TOLEDO, second half of the 19th century.

Ladies' dagger, gilded and blued, FABRICA DE TOLEDO, second half of the 19th century. This dagger is small. The overall length with the sheath is 19 cm. All hilt components are metal. The blade is diamond-shaped and has a sharp tip. The blade bears the maker's mark "FABRICA DE TOLEDO." The blade's floral decoration is gilded and blued. The dagger's hilt and sheath are decorated with floral designs using the etching technique. The Royal Arms Factory, located 1.5 km from Toledo, Spain, was a traditional manufacturer of Spanish bladed weapons, particularly the famous "Toledo blades" for sabres. It was founded by King Charles III in 1761 (Real Fabrica de Espadas de Toledo). In the early 20th century, it was renamed the "Real Fabrica de Espadas de Toledo." Cavalry sabers and officer's sabers for all branches of the armed forces were produced in Toledo. After the civil war and the establishment of General Franco's dictatorship, only officer's saber production continued. An elegant antique dagger is highly collectible.