A Beautiful Antique Indian Sword Shamshir Shikargar, With An impressive and Scarce 'Naga' Serpentine Blade

Beautifully artisan hand cleaned and polished, and what has been achieved is once more remarkable. It looks like it did when acquired in the 19th century to come back to England.It has a pistol shaped khanjar style hilt, matching engraved to the blade. A shikargaha hunting sword with exotic flowers engraved and two dancing figures, as used in a typical Moghul hunt, deeply engraved on both sides of the blade, with silver darts inlaid between the back edge engraving. Also with a brass inlaid panel with a dancing figure. Its condition for its age is now very good indeed, and the snake form serpentine blade form is most beguiling and rarely seen in swords.Likely 19th century but possibly 18th.In the Renaissance period and beyond in Europe serpentine blades were occasionally seen, and they were named a 'flamberge' or flamboyant form blade.Some similar types of the Islamic serpentine bladed swords are in the Imperial collection in the Topkapi Saray Museum in Istanbul, Turkey.See 'Islamic swords and swordsmiths' by Unsal Yucel. A most unusual sword in many ways, not least that it was never actually made nor worn with a scabbard. It was worn through a belt and carried without one, to be used in ceremonies or on the hunting parties. There were five Indian/Nepal swords in the collection and four have the matching ensuite decoration patterning, but all need many many hours of cleaning and conservation so they will be added individually over time and sold seperately.