Northern wootz katar
This item has been sold.
Overall length

41.7 cm

Blade length

23.7 cm

Blade thickness

Base 7 mm

Middle 7 mm

Tip 8.5 mm

(at thickening)

Blade width

Base 59 mm

Middle 29 mm

Tip 21 mm

(at thickening)

Weight

283 grams

Point of balance

1 cm from hilt

Materials

Iron, wootz steel, gold

Origin

North India

Southwest of Rajasthan or Gujarat

Dating

19th century

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Description

A nice North Indian katar dagger. Its wootz blade has a prominent center ridge and thickened armor-piercing tip.

The hilt consists of two narrow, slightly hollow sidebars that end in a point. The handlebars merge into a larger triangular element.

Both blade and hilt style are of a type I've come to associate with the southwestern part of Rajasthan, mainly Sirohi, and Gujarat.

The hilt is overlaid with patterns in gold, showing a slightly different pattern on either side. This enabled the wearer to wear either side up.

Pattern 1

Pattern 2

 

Provenance

The piece comes with a certificate of authenticity that was issued by the Parisian dealer Slim Bouchoucha in 1979, the year I was born.

It was slightly oversold, the date given for the piece on the certificate is 17th century, and the piece is clearly from the 19th century. Late 18th at best if we are very optimistic.

Still, it's fun to have documents to travel with pieces like that that give some background on where they have been.

Katar on certificate

 

 

 

Certificate for katar

 

Stand

The piece comes with a matte black metal stand for displaying it upright.

Katars at PAN

Here shown to the right, at PAN Amsterdam 2022.

 

North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar
North Indian wootz katar

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Currently available:

With a fine wootz blade with a pronounced center ridge.

€3800,-

With vintage silver mounted scabbard.

€5500,-

Made around 1900 in Alwar, Rajasthan, for the tourist market.

€400,-

With very fine twistcore barrel.

€1600,-

The style typical of Kutch, the execution far above what is normally seen on work from that area.

Price on request

Nice and complete with opaque green hilt and scabbard mounts.

Price on request