What makes vintage sgian dubh so expensive - are they worth the price..?

[ShaunMaxwell]

Most of the examples you show are what I’d consider to be classic “dressy” or more formal sgians, with elaborate carving, silver mounts with some type of stone — more wearable art than practical tool. And if you’re looking for “the real deal” in this type of sgian, it will likely be an antique or something contemporary made by a highly skilled maker creating specialty items, the scarcity of which allows them to charge a premium for their work. Basically, it’s supply and demand. A McLaren supercar costs more than a Toyota Camry.

That said, I think a Camry is far more practical, and a typical “day” sgian would likely get a lot more use than something more suited for formal dress occasions. The sgian I carry least is the fanciest of my small collection:



Personally, I prefer a proper high carbon blade and more simple handle as I prefer a knife to be more functional than decorative. On the rare formal occasion, I’ll carry the silver mounted option (which also has a high carbon blade! 🙂)

Personal preference, utility and budget are all a factor.

Cheers,

SM

[ASinclair]

I have one sgian dubh that I think is simple and practical enough for daywear and nice enough for evening wear. It was made by a local bladesmith.



It has a rosewood handle with a silver celtic dragon, stainless steel ferrule, and a sharp 1084 steel blade.

[Troglodyte]

Most of the examples you show are what I’d consider to be classic “dressy” or more formal sgians, with elaborate carving, silver mounts with some type of stone — more wearable art than practical tool. And if you’re looking for “the real deal” in this type of sgian, it will likely be an antique or something contemporary made by a highly skilled maker creating specialty items, the scarcity of which allows them to charge a premium for their work. Basically, it’s supply and demand. A McLaren supercar costs more than a Toyota Camry.

That said, I think a Camry is far more practical, and a typical “day” sgian would likely get a lot more use than something more suited for formal dress occasions. The sgian I carry least is the fanciest of my small collection:



Personally, I prefer a proper high carbon blade and more simple handle as I prefer a knife to be more functional than decorative. On the rare formal occasion, I’ll carry the silver mounted option (which also has a high carbon blade! 🙂)

Personal preference, utility and budget are all a factor.

Cheers,

SM

A nice little line-up, is this...

Both practical and decorative, which is what most of the most of us want. In other words, a knife we are happy to use for general purposes, one that we like the look of, and which feels right.

As for the car analogy, I'm more a Volvo man - both in the reliable practiality of the marque and the solid, no nonsense style a sgian would be if made by Volvo.

Some of those you show fall into that category nicely!

[OC Richard]

I like to take the long view on these things.

I don't know when, early 19th century?? the various Highland regiments introduced sginean for Officers and Pipers.



It would be interesting to know when, because from the 18th century up until around the Crimean War some regiments dressed their pipers in what amounted to civilian livery, upon which post-Crimean Highland military dress was based.

If Pipers wearing sginean predated Officers it would be yet another example of that process.

In any case sginean weren't all that popular with Victorian civilians. Their popularity seems to have taken off around 1900.

The oldest catalogue I have is 1909 Leckie Graham's Glasgow. Here's their full page of sginean:



The old sginean were nearly always slender, very lightweight, and smooth on the back. Note that the Leckie Graham's catalogue emphasises their suitability for dancing, for that's when sginean would normally be worn, with Evening Dress for Balls etc.

So many modern sginean are bulky and heavy, quite unsuited for comfortable wearing while dancing.

[Troglodyte]

I like to take the long view on these things.

I don't know when, early 19th century?? the various Highland regiments introduced sginean for Officers and Pipers.



It would be interesting to know when, because from the 18th century up until around the Crimean War some regiments dressed their pipers in what amounted to civilian livery, upon which post-Crimean Highland military dress was based.

If Pipers wearing sginean predated Officers it would be yet another example of that process.

In any case sginean weren't all that popular with Victorian civilians. Their popularity seems to have taken off around 1900.

The oldest catalogue I have is 1909 Leckie Graham's Glasgow. Here's their full page of sginean:



The old sginean were nearly always slender, very lightweight, and smooth on the back. Note that the Leckie Graham's catalogue emphasises their suitability for dancing, for that's when sginean would normally be worn, with Evening Dress for Balls etc.

So many modern sginean are bulky and heavy, quite unsuited for comfortable wearing while dancing.

These old catalogues are a very useful guide to the retail price of items both back at the time and now.

The prices quoted show them to be about the average weekly earnings for a working man in 1908, while, with average earnings now being somewhere approaching £700 per week, the modern equivalent is still just as costly.

I have seen a list of items a WWI officer in a Highland regiment was expected to equip himself with at his own cost. A 'good quality' hair sporran would have set him back £3-15/- (three pounds fifteen shillings). This amounts to £3.75 ($4.87) in modern terms, but which would be around £2,100 in today's values.

I wonder if Highland dress buyers a century or more ago thought they were good value and worth the price - which kind of brings us back to my ititial question.