Expensive Indian Khanjar

Rick · 31st October 2010, 04:25 PM

I'm not overwhelmed by the level of workmanship in the blade .
Could be old and just poor work .

Agree about the ca$h expenditure based on a few electrons ........

A. G. Maisey · 1st November 2010, 04:18 AM

If it were possible to investigate this dagger I believe it would be found that the blade is wootz, with a piece of iron lap welded to the hilt end to form the tang.

Apparently this was not at all uncommon in Indian court daggers.

I believe the blade has been removed and re-mounted upside down.

The hilt which I assume is jade appears to have been damaged in the area of the pommel.

Here are pics of two similar daggers which came out of India in about 1920 and which have been appraised as Mughal, probably 17th century, by three separate people, one in USA, one in UK, and one in Australia.

ALEX · 10th December 2010, 02:22 PM

Alan, I second your opinion. The hilt looks like nephrite jade, not aventurine. moreover, does not look anything like modern "mughal" work seen on eBay and elsewhere. overall, quite decent quality hilt. and if it is jade indeed - a rare, potentially 18/19 C, bargain. attached is similarly shaped hilt.

1st November 2010, 04:18 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,991	If it were possible to investigate this dagger I believe it would be found that the blade is wootz, with a piece of iron lap welded to the hilt end to form the tang. Apparently this was not at all uncommon in Indian court daggers. I believe the blade has been removed and re-mounted upside down. The hilt which I assume is jade appears to have been damaged in the area of the pommel. Here are pics of two similar daggers which came out of India in about 1920 and which have been appraised as Mughal, probably 17th century, by three separate people, one in USA, one in UK, and one in Australia. Attached Images

10th December 2010, 02:22 PM	#3
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Alan, I second your opinion. The hilt looks like nephrite jade, not aventurine. moreover, does not look anything like modern "mughal" work seen on eBay and elsewhere. overall, quite decent quality hilt. and if it is jade indeed - a rare, potentially 18/19 C, bargain. attached is similarly shaped hilt. Attached Images

31st October 2010, 04:25 PM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	I'm not overwhelmed by the level of workmanship in the blade . Could be old and just poor work . Agree about the ca$h expenditure based on a few electrons ........