The knife in this thread is Chinese and probably mid 19th century. It has the 4 lobed guard found on some Chinese weapons and the shape and form of the grip shows Indian influence. Indian arms were popularized in the mid 18th century when the Emperor received gifts from India notably jade hilted daggers and swords. Notice the similarity of this grip shape to those Indian jade hilted examples. Although a century later the style remained. The shape of the blade is reminiscent of pole arms of the period. These short knives were made for civilian use and were popular amongst the gangs that required something short and fast to handle combat in the tight streets and back alley ways of the big cities.
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