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The French Lily

Io dirò vero, e tu ’l ridì tra ’ vivi:
l’angel di Dio mi prese, e quel d’inferno
gridava: “O tu del ciel, perché mi privi?

– Dante Alighieri, Commedia, Purgatorio V

Durfort Dagger is entitled to Guillaume de Durfort, who was a french condottiero leading the guelph army during the Battle of Campaldino in 1289. He was killed by a ghibelline “quadrello”, a crossbow arrow, that hit him in the eye. His tomb, our reference, is located in Santissima Annunziata Cathedral in Florence. The sheath and the handle are in a wonderful french blue, with fleurs-de-lys. The pommel is based on the crescent-shaped one found in Perthshire (Scotland), also compared to the specimen in Museo del Bargello in Florence. These ones are of a later period compared to Durfort’s reconstruction, but this was the most coherent choice. The blade and guard were taken from the so-called “Dante’s dagger” found in Campaldino and preserved in Dante’s House in Florence. This work was possible thanks to a wide research, also supported by Dr.Giovanni Rotondi. * This dagger is fully handmade without templates, so every Durfort will be different from the previous one, as our craftsmanship and methods evolve and prevent machine-made effects. Tiny imperfections, differences and asymmetries give your sword a completely unique personality.