Katar and scabbard
Steel, silver gilt, enamel, gold and velvet covered wood | 40.4 x 9.6 x 2.3 cm (whole object) | RCIN 11407
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A punch dagger or katar with a steel blade pierced and chiselled with flowers. The curved silver gilt grip chased with animals and foliage and inset with roundels of pierced gold foils fused with coloured glass (thewa plaques). The velvet covered wooden scabbard has gold mounts decorated with animals and foliage.
This type of katar, with its curved sideguards and central sculptural grip, is often called a garsoee katar and is associated with the region of Cutch, in western India. The thewa plaques however were produced by a handful of workshops based in central India, namely Pratapgarh, Ratlam and Indore.
Provenance
Presented to Edward VII, when Prince of Wales, during his tour of India in 1875-76 by Zahir-ud-Daula, Nawab of Arcot.
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Creator(s)
(nationality)Acquirer(s)
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Medium and techniques
Steel, silver gilt, enamel, gold and velvet covered wood
Measurements
40.4 x 9.6 x 2.3 cm (whole object)
Place of Production
Pratapgarh [Rajasthan]