Black Watch sgian by Art Pewter Silver

[OC Richard]

I've been putting together a Black Watch piper's kit for a couple years now. Happily the Black Watch of Canada kit shop is now again carrying the BW style sginean (they had been out of stock for years) and I ordered one. It came yesterday and it's beautiful.

Here's the regimental kit shop page which includes the sgian

http://www.blackwatchkitshop.com/sho...ddd820ab3d5885

It's made by a Scottish firm called Art Pewter Silver. Here's their sgian page showing the regimental style sginean, straight handle, studs, available in silver or gold finish. As you see there's a tiny thistle badge on the handle... I don't think that exact design is worn by any Scottish regiment.

http://artpewter.co.uk/index.php?rou...th=3_12&page=2

The Black Watch of Canada had Art Pewter Silver make up some of the gold-finish ones with the St Andrew badge. For $160 Canadian ($120 US) it's quite reasonable for a regimental-style sgian. Yes the handle is plastic, but it has a nice stainless steel blade, and the ornamentation has good detail.

[Father Bill]

The only sad part for me is that, properly worn, so very little of the beautiful work shows to anyone!

Fabulous piece, Richard; thanks for sharing!

[Mike S]

Is this made of proper materials (i.e. carved bog oak or ABW etc.) and an actual leather sheath, or is it afflicted with the modern trend towards plastic and resin?

[OC Richard]

The only sad part for me is that, properly worn, so very little of the beautiful work shows to anyone!

In The Black Watch the sgian was worn quite high, with the entire handle showing.

This is probably because St Andrew is usually placed low on the handle, on the actual regimental sginean; the sgian has to be worn high for him to show!

Ditto the sgian of The Cameron Highlanders which had a sphinx at the very bottom of the handle.

[Father Bill]

Good to know! I wouldn't much recommend it that way though with civilian wear.

[OC Richard]

Is this made of proper materials (i.e. carved bog oak or ABW etc.) and an actual leather sheath, or is it afflicted with the modern trend towards plastic and resin?

Sadly no, the Art Pewter Silver sginean are more in the line of costume jewellery, though having a steel blade.

Here's the APS BW sgian like I bought. The handle is plastic, the sheath is plastic. But for $120 I can't complain! It looks quite authentic worn in the sock (which hides the plastic sheath nicely).



It's a far cry from the fully authentic one here, offered by House Of Labhran: wood handle, wood leather-covered sheath, metalwork sterling silver gold-plated. 850 pounds.

http://www.houseoflabhran.com/scotti...ng-silver.html

Or in brass metalwork, 350 pounds.

http://www.houseoflabhran.com/scotti...imental-2.html

Here's the House Of Labhran sgain. Note the proper modern placement of St Andrew low on the handle.



I say modern placement because here's a 19th century Black Watch sgian with St Andrew centred

[Mike S]

Cheers Richard, it does look nice.

I guess I'm showing my age when I recount the days when most sgian dubhs in the $100 (at the time) and above price range all had carved wooden handles, leather wrapped sheaths, and silver plate hardware.

Those were also the days when most dress sporran cantles and tassel furniture was in thick silver plate rather than chrome plate or pewter (or worse) too.

[OC Richard]

Cheers Richard, it does look nice.

I guess I'm showing my age when I recount the days when most sgian dubhs in the $100 (at the time) and above price range all had carved wooden handles, leather wrapped sheaths, and silver plate hardware.

For sure! I was in Scotland in the 1980s and I picked up a new traditionally made sgian, made in Scotland, carved wood handle, leather-wrapped wood sheath, metalwork in solid German Silver, for 70 pounds. Those days are gone, unless you're talking Pakistani or Indian things.

[OC Richard]

Thanks!

I suppose due to the similarity, I see ones like that sold as "Black Watch" sginean all the time.

Thanks for sharing the distinction between the two.

[OC Richard]

Well here's the one I bought, with some of the other stuff I'm gathered together.



And here is the sgian being worn by myself