A Most Attractive Antique Afghan Khyber Knife, Pesh Kabz or Choora, With Amber Hilt and Fine Armour Piercing Blade. Almost The Pair To the Example Donated To the British Museum By HRH Prince Richard Duke of Gloucester

Afghan knife (peshkabz or choora) with a straight single-edged steel blade which tapers from the hilt to a sharp point. The steel runs through the spine of the hilt, which is clad with amber type grip with a projection at the grip side of the pommel. The blade is decorated on the top and on the spine of the hilt with lightly incised and punched floral designs. The translusent amber sectional parts of the hilt are affixed by both domed and flat head iron rivets. The sheath is made of wood clad in brass sheet metal with flower head impressed design with leather top mount

The Amber type hilt handles were fashioned from blocks of amber, often Baltic or regional amber, or an amber type material, pinned or riveted to a full tang. While horn, bone, ivory, and walrus tusk were far more common, amber coloured hilts were reserved for high-status, decorative, or custom-commissioned pieces

The blade is made of high-carbon or crucible/watered steel (wootz), featuring a reinforced "T-spine" cross-section designed to punch through mail armour without bending. It is broad at the forte (base) and tapers sharply to a fine needle point

The Scabbard is typically a wood core wrapped in sheet brass, embossed with flowers and a leather top band.

A very similar example was donated by: HRH Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester to the British Museum, British museum number; As1982,11.3.a

Code: 26350