IP and Richard G,
Thank you both for taking up my request for technical information. Thank you also, IP, for noting that this knife and scabbard are indeed pleasing to the eye. My friend's wife thought it looked lovely and deserving of a gift to her husband. They are not wealthy people and this was a generous gift, taking into account their family budget, for a notable birthday. In the blow-up of the hilt that IP provided, there does indeed appear to be fine cross hatching for delicate koftgari work. I shall try to provide better pictures to show this more clearly.
IP, I agree that we sometimes overlook the technical expertise of today's Rajahstani craftsmen too quickly. Of the many examples presently coming from this State, there are certainly some well made items showing good technical skills. There is a tendency to dismiss modern decorative items as unworthy of consideration by serious collectors. In doing so, we overlook the ongoing traditional expertise present in Indian and other cultures. Collectors of Indonesian keris still recognize the mastery of techniques used by recent empus.
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