EARLY 17TH CENTURY

Daggers of this type were once widespread in Hindu India. A number are shown on miniatures of the 17th century Mughal court. See for example a gold covered example in 'Four portraits of courtiers', f.29r. from the Kevorkian Album in the Metropolitan Museum (55.121.10),(Welch, S.C., Schimmel, A., Swietochowski, M.L. and Thackston, W.M.: The Emperor's Album, New York, 1987, pl.26, pp.132-4). A similar example is also in the Padhshahnama, (Beach, Milo Cleveland and Koch, Ebba: King of the World, London, 1993, p.112).