This is an Indo-Persian pesh-kabz knife from northern India or Afghanistan. Pesh-kabz were designed and developed as a fighting knife and are characterised by their hollow-ground, single-edged blade with a full tang to which a pair of grip scales are attached. The blade can be straight, curved or recurved with a thick, often T cross-section spine for strength and rigidity. While this pesh-kabz dates to the late 19th or early 20th Century, the grip scales are WW2 era replacements and look to be of the same Paxolin material as that used on the British No.7 bayonet.
The 252mm curved blade has a thick, chamfered spine and terminates in a needle-sharp point. The hollow ground blade has a deep fuller running below the spine, ending 25mm from the upwardly curving point. The blade is 32mm wide at the bolstered shoulder. The blade is razor sharp and is in good condition with some small edge knicks and scattered patches of pale tarnish and small spots of shallow pitting.
The characteristic full tang hilt was re-gripped around the mid-20th Century, using what looks to be Paxolin or similar resin impregnated cloth. The contoured grip is in good condition and the scales are firmly fixed to the tang. The end of the tang forms a characteristic birds-head pommel that incorporates a lanyard eye.
The knife is complete with its lacquered wooden scabbard with brass furniture. The scabbard is in good condition with wear and dings commensurate with its age and use. The knife sheathes and draws smoothly and is held firmly within its scabbard.
This is a good example of a turn of the 19th Century Indo-Persian fighting knife.
