A Nepalese Kora, 19th Century

With characteristic single-edged blade curved to the fishtail point, the back-edge on both sides engraved with running foliage against a hatched ground and interrupted towards the point with a flower-head in a roundel against a red lacquered ground, steel hilt with disc-shaped guard and pommel, the latter with bud-shaped finial on a dome with rayed border, riveted knuckle-guard pierced with symmetrical scrolls, and tubular grip now covered in green velvet
55.5 cm. blade