MUGHAL INDIA, 18TH CENTURY

The kard, also known pish-qabz or chura in different areas, has a straight single-edge blade with no quillon and a vertical hilt. The dagger would have been worn tucked at the side of the belt with the hilt partially covered by the scabbard. This type of dagger probably originated in Central Asia and Afghanistan and was most likely introduced to India during the Afghan invasions from the north-east from the eleventh century onwards (Kaoukji, 2017, p.255).

A kard dagger of identical hilt form decorated in a similar gem-set lattice pattern, with comparable gold damascened decoration and a very similar blade is currently in the Jaipur royal collection (acc.no. MJM17.1275; Elgood, 2015, cat.no.8, p.35, ill.p.36). Elgood describes it as a 17th century rock crystal hilt with an 18th century blade and bolster, suggesting that the hilt was remounted in Jaipur or at another Rajput court and indicating that this type of remounting of Mughal hilts with straight kard blades was not an uncommon occurrence. Our dagger has an associated 19th-century scabbard with chiselled silver mounts covered in blue velvet.
For another example of an 18th century gem-set jade-hilted kard which sold at auction, see Christie’s, South Kensington, 1 October 2012, lot 49.