Gil Hibben Elf Dirk- With Coral Handle

Custom Gil Hibben “Elf Dirk” Fantasy Art Dagger

An exceptional and rare custom handmade fantasy art dagger by legendary Knifemakers’ Guild Master Gil Hibben, based on his iconic 1984 collaboration with fantasy designer and illustrator Paul Ehlers.

Unlike factory-produced fantasy replicas, this one-of-a-kind art piece was hand-ground and crafted in the Hibben shop, featuring premium natural materials, precious metal embellishments, and Gil Hibben’s personal script signature etched directly onto the ricasso. Built purely as a sculptural showpiece, it represents one of the most recognizable and coveted silhouettes in custom fantasy cutlery.

Key Features & Specifications

• Design Pattern: “Elf Dirk” (in collaboration with Paul Ehlers)

• Blade Profile: Mirror-polished 440C stainless steel recurve blade featuring dramatic sub-hilt wing flairs and precision circular ricasso cutouts.

• Handle Material: Deeply fluted and spiraled carved coral, offering a dense, smooth cream luster without fibrous grain.

• Pommel & Accents: Intricate, handcrafted sterling silver “cobweb” filigree cage integrated into the pommel, set with vibrant red gemstone cabochons on both the hilt and pommel fittings.

• Serialization & Sheath: As a custom handmade art piece rather than a production run, this dagger is non-serialized. Like most elaborate sculptural fantasy daggers of this caliber, it was designed for display stand presentation and was not made with a carry sheath.

Condition Report

• Overall Condition: Very Good display condition with a brilliant, highly reflective mirror polish and solid, well-fitted handle and pommel construction.

• Blade Condition Note: The primary mirror-polished flats and hollow grinds are clean and vibrant. There are a few very small, localized spots of light surface oxidation along the cutting edge. Because this minor spotting is confined entirely to the edge bevel, it will be easily and completely removed with a standard professional sharpening or edge touch-up, restoring the edge without affecting the surrounding mirror finish.