17 C Whole Steel Mughal Chillanum Dagger

The most classical dagger in the Indian arsenal is the curved whole steel dagger. It appears on miniatures of the maharajahs wearing it on their royal custom since the 16th century. Elgood in his book on Hindu arms suggest that the origin of this type of daggers is earlier to the 16th century from North India Rajasthan, and that it was introduced to the Mughal court through the marriage of Maharajah Akbar and other Mughal royals with a Rajaput wifes.  Akbar had a policy of matrimonial alliances with the Hindu Rajputs who gave their daughters or sisters. These Rajputs were made members of his court and their daughters or sisters marriage to a Muslim ceased to be a sign of degradation.  These daggers stayed popular with the Mughal court because of their elegant shape and since they are so well constructed they last longer than other edged weapon.  These daggers appear in few versions of the hilt, with or without full or half D guard.

The example shown is from the early 17th. Whole steel construction. Massive dual edged curved blade with pronounced central rib and thickened tip. Integral steel hilt with lotus bud pommel and full D guard. Scabbard covered with black leather and monted with a small steel tip.

Blade 10 1/2 inches (27 cm). Total length 15 inches (38 cm). Very good condition to age. minor old scratches on the blade. Nicely patinated hilt.  Minor losses to the scabbard.

See also:  Elgood “Hindu Arms and Ritual” page 163.

For a similar  example : Stone Glossary, 1934 Page 365 fig 459, No 5 (Wrongly identified as Nepalese, now in the Metropolitan Museum No.36.25.806.

Price: on request