This is an example of the daggers commonly found in Bhutan and Tibet, the latter being, on the whole, rather more elaborate. The blades are normally made of meteoric iron, as opposed to wootz steel from India. These were brought back typically from British frontier expeditions in the 19th century.
The blade (just over 11" long) has a bevelled back and a false edge at the point. There are considerable patches of pitting on both faces of the blade, but I am loathe to clean these off any further, as excessive cleaning can spoil the age feel of a piece like this.
This is brass mounted throughout. Two screws or bolts are missing to the top mount of the scabbard, where it would have been secured to the extension of the scabbard straps. Originally the scabbard had green silk inset in panels, which is evident on the reverse. Now, however, the silk in the front panel has gone and that in the reverse panel is heavily worn and frayed. Most of the original scabbard liners are present without, surprisingly, any woodworm.
A fine, but plain example of a Bhutanese dirk.
If you want to comment on this item—re quality, age, etc—please email me.
[Edged Weapons : Dirks : Bhutanese : 19th Century]
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