Dagger, 17th to 18th century, Indian, Deccan, possibly Hyderabad. Steel, nephrite, silver, gold. H. 13 13/16 in. (35.1 cm); H. of blade 9 in. (22.9 cm); W. 2 13/16 in. (7.1 cm); Wt. 13.1 oz. (371.4 g). Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 36.25.667 © 2000–2016 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Daggers with curled “pistol-grip” pommels became popular in the court of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb (r. 1658–1707) around 1660 and regularly appeared in the portraits of Mughal and Deccani officials thereafter. The jade grip of this dagger is inlaid with silver foliate motifs set flush with the surface, a technique that recalls contemporary Bidri ware (from Bidar, in the Deccan), cast zinc vessels that are similarly inlaid with silver and gold.