Original 19th Century Indo-Persian Long Knife or Short Sword with Iron Clad Handle Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely patinated long knife or short sword of Indo-Persian origin, most likely acquired recently in the Afghanistan region, or brought home over a century ago by a British Soldier involved in one of the many Victorian era conflicts in the region. We have had a bit of trouble identifying exactly what type of knife it is, with this style being labeled variously as a khanjar, khanjarli, pesh kabz, or a kard. There is a lot of overlap in the various styles, and they were often made in both decorative and utilitarian styles, further complicating things.

The long knife / short sword is 18 1/4 inches in overall length, and has a heavy forward curving blade measuring about 12 1/4 inches in length. It is however not as forward curved or as heavy as something like a Kukri, though we suspect it was probably used in somewhat the same way. It is single edged, but the point would definitely be suitable for stabbing if needed.

The handle is iron with a wooden interior, though it does not look like the wooden portion extends all the way up inside the handle, which is hollow where it meets the blade. There also is no tang to the blade, and it is attached to the handle with rivets / pins in the bolster / cross guard area.

Overall condition is very nice, showing a peppered patina from age and repeated cleaning. There is also an area on the spine that looks like it may have had a repair in the past.

A very interesting Indo-Persian knife with some great potential for further research.

Specifications:
Blade Length: 12 1/4″
Blade Style: Single Edge
Overall length: 18 1/4“
Crossguard: 2 1/2”