Royal Naval officers usually carried two weapons- a sword and a dirk. Given the quality of this weapon this would have been an officer's dirk- the blade is engraved with flourishes and motifs including a crown and anchor along with the British Royal Coat of Arms. The blade bears the faint but still legible maker's mark of Gieve, Matthews and Seagrove Ltd. The scabbard has engraved initials W.H.D.F., likely those of the dirk's owner when it was made. With shagreen grip and lion's head pommel.
