Kindjal
 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...e=STRK:MEWA:IT

I do not think it is Caucasian at all: looks eerily Indo-Persian.
What do you think about the state of preservation of gold koftgari?

I think this is newly made. I've seen a fair number of similar, beautiful knives and swords in typically Indian styles with pattern-welded blades. This style looks Persian to my inexperienced eye.

I'm not an expert but it looks indian to me. There is a number of companies in India today making "caucasian kindjals" as they call them, for example:
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Sincerely yours,

K.Rivkin

Dear Rivkin

You mention an open auction :D

I dont think that are both of indian origin. Sure the first one looks new but it maybe excelent preserved.

If there is no organic material in a sword that stays indoors with perfect care for 100 years, who we can tell it is new or antique.

I dont express opinion about the particular sword, but what is shining is not always (gold) or new

The fullering seems a little different .
The work is very nice .
The length of the forte seems unusual to me . .

i considered about it before the bidding ended, but i voted for the "new and made in India" side being almost sure. Koftgari is an industry there. They dont carve the blade deep and they make the gold thin, so easier than old, and with much cheaper costs.Plus, the blade seems a very nice example of factory made damascus to me. Also, if you look carefully, you can see that the blade is not sharp. It has thick sides, covered with koftgari. Wouldnt be so if was handmade, but seen very often in factory produced blades as its easier that way.
Finally, if it was antique with this condition, it should start from and go up to several thousand dollars easily.

I tried to be polite and nonoffensive in opening this query, but I had exactly the same hesitations as the rest of the Forumites. I am virtually convinced that it is a modern creation. Guess the rest of the e-bayers thought the same....

After your opinions I checked it again more carefully.

The most suspicious part is the lower (black) part of hilt. It should have some marks of age, if it was antique, because it touches the scabbard.

The only exception I can imagine is that the owners last 100 years were not proud enough for it, to take it off and demonstrate it. :D

Hi !

Ariel always seems to find the interesting pieces :) . I cant say for certain if this is a modern piece but it most likely is. The only comment I wanted to leave is that it is most definately a work of very skilled craftsman. I have seen very few with this degree of quality work.

All the same, maybe it seems a bit expensive at GBP 400 but it must have costed a fair amount to produce. Good quality workmanship is not cheap here the regular stuff is.... :D !!

Regards,

Karni

Oh yeah, I agree, newly made, though the koftgari is nicely done. Notice not a sign of wear anywhere (a poet and didn't know it :D ).