Rare Spanish Crucifix Dagger, Plata Meneses, Madrid, 1938, Spanish Civil War era.

Rare Spanish Crucifix Dagger, Plata Meneses, Madrid, 1938, Spanish Civil War era. A fine devotional crucifix dagger, produced by the distinguished Madrid firm Plata Meneses and dated 1938. The dagger’s hilt is constructed in the form of a Latin cross, mounted with a finely modeled Corpus Christi of silvered metal, the figure crowned with a gilt halo of radiating rays. The crossguard and grip are finished in black lacquered wood. The double-edged steel blade bears the Plata Meneses trademark — a Gothic “M” inside a radiant sun, whose rays form a square — accompanied by the inscriptions “Metal Blan” and “Meneses” — together with the engraved date “1938” and the devotional inscription “Jesús tengo fe en ti” (“Jesus, I have faith in You”). The reverse side displays a small stamped cross mark. The original black leather scabbard is present, with silvered mounts engraved with crosses and small geometric motifs. Daggers of this type were made in Spain during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), serving as personal devotional weapons and symbolic expressions of Catholic faith and national identity. The craftsmanship and iconography of this example firmly associate it with the Plata Meneses workshop, one of Madrid’s most reputable cutlers active during the early 20th century. An evocative and historically significant example of Spanish religious arms, uniting sacred symbolism with fine artisan metalwork. Condition: Very good, retaining original finish, minor age wear; markings clear and well-defined. Length: approx. 29 cm.