Straight Jian sword with engraved blade and seven dot bronze inlay

Antique Chinese sword ‘Jian’ later 19th century. A nice example with long double edged steel blade of flattened diamond section, with raised ridge along the centre. The fortes decorated with deep chiselling of a dragon to one side, chinese calligraphic characters to the other, seven star inlay with brass dots representing the celestial constellation bringing good luck. The hilt with deeply chiselled taotie dragon mask as the crossguard with the character T to its forehead, brass chiselled mounts throughout the hilt and scabbard. The grip is wrapped with dyed cotton cord, with a hole hear the end for original lanyard attachment. The scabbard covered with black lac and wrapped in decorative intervals with brass wire. Some loss to the lac near the sheath end. Overall in very fine condition. far east