With a fine wootz blade with a pronounced center ridge.
Sheathed 34 cm
Dagger 31.4 cm
20.2 cm
Base 3.7 mm
Tip 2 mm
Base 24.5 mm
Tip 15 mm
148 grams
1.5 cm from hilt
Wootz steel, gold
North India
19th century
A Scandinavian collection
Description
An interesting kard dagger made entirely of wootz, even the scabbard!
The blade of typical form with flat sides and a gradual taper to a point. The wootz on the blade is the best, fine-grained, high contrast, and with a prominent ladder pattern. It has a faceted bolster, each side decorated with gold koftgari, leading to a wootz grip. The grip is hollow, with rattles inside, but does not open like some of them do. It has remains of a band of gold on the edge and spine sides.
They went all the way on this one and also made the scabbard of wootz. In addition, the scabbard is pierced and decorated with koftgari. At the end is a nicely formed bud-shaped finial.
Some wear to the gold, otherwise in good condition. All wootz surfaces in recent polish and etch.
The style typical of Kutch, the execution far above what is normally seen on work from that area.
Nice and complete with opaque green hilt and scabbard mounts.
With designs of animals, often attributed to Lucknow, north India.