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Originally Posted by vilhelmsson
In regards to the above analysis concluding that rock hilts did not become popular until around 1900, I would question this. Hadn't daggers served a largely decorative/status and ceremonial roll at, in particular, northern courts since at least the early 17th century, for example, the Jahangir dagger in Elgood's Rajput Arms & Armour? How much more robust are jade or walrus ivory hilted daggers than a crystal-hilted dagger, with or without a tang? And crystal was quite the fashion in Mughal courts. There is at least one rock crystal hilt in a museum, the VAM example, that can be highly likely dated to at least as early as the mid-19th century. And that particular shape is somewhat common as seen in Jens's dagger above and in The Met example, which suggests that crystal (rock- or glass) was a popular hilt material well prior to 1900.
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Right... single-pieced rock hilts existed well before 1900 but from around 1900 they became much, much more prevalent... in other words, they became popular. And this is most likely because they became fashionable collector's items for the European... well, mostly English market.
So yes, you may find a crystal/rock-hilted dagger from the early 19th century here and there... but their vast majority are from around 1900 and later.
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Originally Posted by vilhelmsson
But if marshal utility is your thing, the nicks in the blade of my pesh kabz indicate that a child likely fought some imaginary battles with this dagger!
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Precisely!
A child could have made the nicks in the blade...
... but more likely it was rust.
The edge is the thinnest part of the blade and when it rusts, it can go all the way through. So where on a flat surface of the blade rust would leave a pit, on the edge would leave a nick.
The nicks, may also come from real combat use as the blade may have formerly been mounted in a more combat-ready hilt. However, this is highly unlikely because these daggers were used for stabbing not for slashing and the most likely damage may have been a broken or bent tip, not a damaged edge. Even when piercing chainmail, the edge may become more blunt but not nicked.
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Originally Posted by vilhelmsson
Regarding the above comment, acknowledged regarding a lesser wootz pattern potentially being of any age, but in this case the wootz pattern on the smaller blade is irrelevant. The steel itself is, without doubt, a very modern stainless steel alloy.
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Modern, maybe, but definitely not stainless steel! Most likely modern wootz, as wootz is produced these days as well. Some comes closer to the antique, some not, but all the rest is there.
and lastly...
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Originally Posted by vilhelmsson
When I get the chance, I need to take it to a jeweler to test the conductivity.
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Better yet... you buy from Amazon a gem tester for 15 Euro more or less and test it yourself. Quartz is more conductive than glass, pretty much like Amethist or Citrine.
Quartz scratches quartz, like diamond scratches diamond.