A man's last line of self defense in the Old West was often his trusty dagger. It could not jam, run out of ammunition, or misfire. The finest daggers intended for sale in the American West were made by well respected English cutlers in Sheffield. This Antique 1880s Old West Slater Brothers Stag Handle English Dirk Fighting Knife Dagger is in Very Good Condition, with some sharpening to the blade edges, a small chip in the upper bottom blade edge, some cleaning, scratching, and spot patina at each side of the blade, a hairline crack in the bottom edge of the right handle scale, and with some scattered age wear evident. Otherwise, the dagger is in fine shape, with no other damage. Most interestingly, it features a bright 6 1/8” double edge dagger spearpoint blade with a pronounced central spine, sports gorgeous genuine stag handle scales with deep, elegant, and dark natural stippling secured by 3 steel pins (and with a nickel silver blank escutcheon on the left handle scale), and is stamped at the ricasso with its maker, “SLATER / BROTHERS / SHEFFIELD”. The lack of “ENGLAND” in the maker’s mark denotes pre-1890 manufacture, as after 1890, in accordance with the McKinley Tariff, all foreign made knives imported into the US had to be stamped with the country of origin. It boasts a matching nickel silver full guard, and is complete with the original Antique 19th Century Brown Leather Scabbard in Good Condition, having shrunk just a bit to the point where it can’t fully accept the blade, though it’s hardly noticeable, having lost all of the “grip” from the throat, meaning the sheath will slide right off if the knife is held by the handle with the point down towards the ground, and with the top end of the belt hanger having come completely unstitched from the upper back body, the bottom end of that belt hanger remaining loose though the stitching is fully intact, some wrinkling and scuffing to the back end tip, and with some scattered scratching, spot darkening, and age wear evident. Otherwise, the scabbard is in fine shape, with no other damage. Most interestingly, it bears understated “chain link” line embossing down the sides at front and back, and the set is a fine example of a very rare, original Antique 1880s Old West Slater Brothers Stag Handle English Dirk Fighting Knife Dagger.