Dagger and sheath

ca. 1650-1900

This dagger shows how a fragment of a precious object could be repaired and reused over generations. Made of rock crystal, the hilt’s elegance indicates that it was made in a Mughal workshop in the late 17th or early 18th century. Most likely it broke and was refitted with a blade, sheath, and jewels in the fashion of a later century.

Dagger: rock crystal, gold, rubies, steel; sheath: velvet, metallic-wrapped thread, gilded metal, glass, colored foil

L.: 14 5/8 in.

Gift of Mr. William H. Wolff

69.16

Provenance: [William H. Wolff, Inc., New York]; gift from Mr. Wolff to Seattle Art Museum, 1969

Photo: Elizabeth Mann

Now on view at the Asian Art Museum

Resources

Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Boundless: Stories of Asian Art, Feb. 8, 2020 - ongoing.

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