Live Auction 17464Maharajas & Mughal Magnificence
A GEM SET JADE-HILTED DAGGER (KHANJAR) WITH SCABBARD
Lot 175

A GEM SET JADE-HILTED DAGGER (KHANJAR) WITH SCABBARD

NORTH INDIA OR DECCAN, 1700-1725

Closed19 June 2019

Price Realised

USD 915,000

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A GEM SET JADE-HILTED DAGGER (KHANJAR) WITH SCABBARD
NORTH INDIA OR DECCAN, 1700-1725
Set with rubies and emeralds, pierced watered-steel blade fitted with three channels containing free running seed pearls, the velvet-covered wooden scabbard with enamelled gold locket and chape
14 ins. (35.5 cm.) long

Specialist note

This exquisite dagger with its carved scale decoration jade hilt inlaid with rubies has a strong sculpted effect. The hilt is further inlaid with foliage, lotus flowers and poppies set with emeralds and rubies. The rich enamelled sheath fittings have later restorations with foliage on one side and chevron patterns on the other. The free running seeds within the blade are related to Iranian and Ottoman examples dating to sixteenth and seventeenth century, usually referred to as 'the tears of Allah' or 'the tears of the wounded' (Hales, 2013, p.31.)