Calligraphy handled (choora?) dagger

[ariel]

Ian,
Scabbards are by and large perishable. Imperial Russian military specified new scabbards for their regulation sabers every 3 years ( or something like it). Active use of swords/daggers requires frequent drawing and sheathing with inevitable damage to the organic components of scabbards. Even simple storage of anything made of wood and leather subjects them to inevitable failure due to temperature, moisture, infestation and rot. It is extremely unusual to find a 200 years old Indian bladed weapon in its original scabbard. Elgood advocates dating Indian swords by looking separately at the blade and the handle. But even he refrained from including scabbards in that equation.
Yes, there appears to be a different quality between the peshkabz as such and its scabbard. But Indian palaces were not climate controlled and even contemporary museums maintain rigid schedule of maintenance.
I am sure we cannot pinpoint the exact ages of this peshkabz as such and its scabbard, but IMHO there is no evidence of a touristy manufacture. On top of it , any recent forger would certainly invest an hour or two for applying a little bit of koftgari to the throat and chapee to pimp up the overall appearance and inflate the price.
Yes, we have to consided the possibility that this peshkabz was made in one of the royal workshops at the end of 19th-beginning of 20th century. But how do we explain its crystalline wootz? Also, such imitations of a respectable age were not touristy: they were aimed for personal royal collections and gifts to visiting dignitaries.
My 5 cents.