Four Indian Daggers, 19th Century And Later

Four Indian Daggers
19th Century And Later
The first with sharply tapering double-edged blade of flattened diamond section, brass-mounted hilt comprising down-bent quillons with highly stylised monster-head terminals springing from an engraved quillon-block with central floret on each side, beak-shaped pommel with engraved decoration and surmounted by an iron ring, and rounded wooden grips secured by two iron rivets on circular silver washers; the second of khajar form, with recurved double-edged blade incised with an Indian deity between foliage on both sides and with reinforced point of flattened diamond section, and rounded steel hilt curving up to a rounded pommel decorated with gold-damascened florets on both sides within borders of scrollwork (some wear), in its wooden scabbard (damaged) covered in burgundy and green velvet; an all-steel kard, decorated with panels of silver-damascened foliage including a cartouche-shaped panel of Arabic calligraphy on both sides of grip, the latter with hinged pommel-cap with sprung button catch and opening to reveal a cavity for a smaller kard (missing), in its wooden scabbard covered in black leather with silver mounts; and another all-steel kard, similar to the last, damascened with silver foliage, and retaining its smaller kard en suite; together with a Malaysian bone-mounted bade-bade of characteristic form, the hilt and scabbard carved and pierced with foliage, a Ceylonese kastana, 17th/18th century, of characteristic form and in poor condition, an all-steel standard (àlam) in Persian Safavid style, with border engraved crescent-shaped head with applied crescent on each side incised with an Arabic inscription, riveted to a U-shaped mount with monster-head finials, and mounted on a tubular socket, and three Indian lances, 18th century, each with iron head of tapering diamond section, terminals en suite and each with cupola finial, one with baluster-ring carrying jingles (10)
The first 19 cm. blade