Silver-Mounted Sewar Dagger

This beautiful sewar dagger is a particularly fine and elegant example. The hilt and scabbard are of lustrous, light-coloured wood.

The scabbard is encased in silver bands and bands of silver wire.

The lower hilt also is encased in silver, which has been chased with a typically Malay vegetal scroll, and this extends to partly encase the top part of the blade.

The hand guard is of finely carved wood.

The blade is of watered iron, is curved, and single-edged.

Sewars were intended as stabbing weapons.

The example is Malay, and probably from the Sumatran Malays. It might also be from the Malay Peninsula, or was traded to there, from Sumatra.

This example is in fine condition. The hilt has a superficial, light, age-related crack on one side. There are no losses or repairs. The piece has a superb, soft patina.