NORTH INDIA, PROBABLY LATE 18TH CENTURY

Details

A MUGHAL GEMSET JADE HILTED DAGGER AND SCABBARD
NORTH INDIA, PROBABLY LATE 18TH CENTURY
The watered steel double-edged recurved blade completely plain, the pistol-grip pale green jade hilt extensively set with rubies, diamonds and emeralds with scrolling flowering vine, the yellow velvet covered wooden sheath with pale jade chape and locket gemset en suite with the hilt, slight restoration to inlay
overall 16 7/8in. (42.8cm.) long

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

There is an interesting feature of this dagger which is shared by one in the al-Saah Collection, Kuwait (Keene, Manuel and Kaoukji, salam: reasury of the World, London, 2001, no.2.16, pp.36-7). The original nephrite jade stone from which the hilt has been made has a number of impurities of colour within it. As a result the inlayer has carved and inset the stems of the flowering tendrils so that they run along thse impurites and to a certain extent disguise them. This certainly demonstrates what a precious commodity nephrite jade was at that time.

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