Rare Crucifix Stiletto of a Military Priest, Spain, late 19th century.

Rare Crucifix Stiletto of a Military Priest, Spain, late 19th century. An extraordinary devotional and defensive object - a concealed stiletto dagger ingeniously housed within a brass crucifix, attributed to a Spanish military chaplain of the late 19th century. The cross, crafted from brass tubing, bears a finely modeled silvered bronze corpus of Christ, rendered with striking anatomical realism. The vertical shaft of the cross is removable to reveal a slender faceted stiletto blade, designed for personal protection. These rare hybrid devotional weapons, known as “crucifix stilettos”, were occasionally carried by military priests and missionaries, particularly in frontier or colonial contexts where spiritual and physical dangers coexisted. A fascinating and rare artifact, merging sacred symbolism with practical ingenuity - a poignant relic of the turbulent interplay between faith and survival in the post-Napoleonic and colonial era. Good condition. Length (overall): approx. 28 cm. Blade length: approx. 12 cm.