Dagger with Sheath
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Steel, silver wire, silver, gold, coral, turquoise, gemstone
Dimensions
L. with sheath 15 9/16 in. (39.5 cm); L. without sheath 15 1/8 in. (38.4 cm); L. of blade 12 in. (30.5 cm); W. 1 9/16 in. (4 cm); D. 1 3/16 in. (3 cm); Wt. 8.8 oz. (249.5 g); Wt. of sheath 4.5 oz. (127.6 g)
Classification
Daggers
Culture
Bhutanese or Sikkimese
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Richard B. Seager, 1926
Accession Number
26.35.10a, b
Art Historical Context
This exquisite **Dagger with Sheath**, crafted in the 19th by an unknown Bhutanese or Sikkimese artisan, exemplifies the opulent arms of the Himalayan kingdoms. Measuring nearly 16 inches with its sheath, the dagger features a steel blade paired with a hilt and scabbard adorned in silver wire, silver, gold, coral, turquoise and gemstones. These lavish materials—precious metals and vividly colored stones sacred in Buddhist-influenced cultures—transform a functional weapon into a status symbol, likely reserved for nobility or ceremonial use. In Bhutan and Sikkim, such daggers bridged utility an...