A jade-hilted sword with gilt-mounted scabbard, North India, 18th century

the slender and curved blade with gold and silver damascened floral design at the forte and on spine, with a jade hilt with rounded pommel carved with stylised lotus flowers and gilt-copper quillons, the velvet-covered wood scabbard with gilt-copper mounts and suspension loops

Ex-Raglan Collection, Cefntilla Court, Monmouthshire

Some corrosion to blade, the wooden scabbard with breaks and loose velvet with losses, including to metal-thread ribbon, the gilt-copper cross guard and mounts on scabbard rubbed with loss of gilding, as viewed.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

It is rare to see the marriage of a carved jade hilt with a long blade as in the present piece. A comparable example is in the Heeramaneck Collection (Ricketts and Missillier 1988, p.133, no.221), which was presented to General Claude Martin in 1786 by the Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula, one of only a few recorded examples, including another in a private Danish collection published in Copenhagen 1982, p.190, no.154.