Unique, Important dagger Elisabeth Charlotte Palatine Duchesse d'Orleans, France, 1670s. Straight double-edged blade, decorated with perforations, engravings and gold inlay. Handle carved from bone, guard made from bone and horn, inlaid with mother-of-pearl and semi-precious stones. At the top of the handle is the description I.N.R.I. (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews). A magnificent 17th century Baroque scabbard decorated with carved mother-of-pearl, bone, turquoise, corals, carnelian and enamel. At the top of the scabbard there is an insert with the inscription "Elisabeth Charlote" and at the bottom there is an insert with the inscription "Palatine Duchesse d'Orleans" between them there is a portrait of a young woman. On the reverse side of the scabbard, mother-of-pearl inserts depict a gallant scene depicting a young woman accompanied by a man under the rays of the sun. This was probably a gift to Elisabeth Charlotte Palatine from Louis XIV. Madame Elizabeth Charlotte, Duchess of Orleans ( born Princess Elizabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate, 27 May 1652 – 8 December 1722), also known as Liselotte von der Pfalz, was a German member of the House of Wittelsbach who married into the French royal family. Liselotte became very close to her brother-in-law Louis XIV. He was "...enchanted by the fact that this was an extremely witty and lovely woman, that she danced well...". He was often quite amused by her open, humorous and refreshingly uncomplicated nature. They often went hunting together—a rather unusual occupation for a noble lady of the time. Her habit of going for long walks was also noticed by the French court and was initially mocked (she even went for a walk in the park at night) but the King was delighted: "The King used to say: il n'y a que Vous qui jouisses des beautes de Versailles (you are the only one who enjoys the beauties of Versailles)." Liselotte not only became the ancestress of the House of Orleans, which came to the French throne with Louis Philippe I, the so-called "Citizen King" from 1830 to 1848, but also became the ancestress of numerous European royal families, so she was also called the "Grandmother of Europe". Through her daughter she was the grandmother of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, the husband of Maria Theresa, and great-grandmother of Joseph II and Leopold II (both Holy Roman Emperors) and Marie Antoinette, the last Queen of France before the French Revolution. Provenance: Castle Ahlden (Germany) A unique relic worthy of being in the collection of the best museums in the world. Height: 47 cm;