Beautiful khanjar with a jade handle inlaid with silver. Ind

Beautiful khanjar with a jade handle inlaid with silver. India, 18th–19th centuries (handle); refitted in the 19th century, likely in China. 46 cm. This beautiful Indian weapon, remounted in China and featuring a jade handle, is a testament to the Chinese taste for Mughal jades, as evidenced by the collections of the National Palace Museum. Hindustani jades were highly prized, particularly by Emperor Qianlong, who praised the gem-cutting skills of Indian artisans. The silver inlay technique used on the crook-shaped hilt (a style very much in vogue during the reign of Aurangzeb) is reminiscent of the contrasting metalwork known as bidri from the Deccan region. The Metropolitan Museum also holds a hilt inlaid with silver (36.25.667) and another (02.18.785). The blade, as well as the scabbard and its fittings, are of Far Eastern origin—likely Chinese. The fittings, decorated with Greek frets and a scattering of gilded flowers on a black background, also create a contrast that complements the two-tone decoration of the hilt.