Lovely large Steel mounted Khyber Knife sword from Afghanistan

A very nice example of a large ‘Khyber Knife’ sword from Afghanistan. This massive piece retains its original scabbard with all of its steel mountings and covered in black textured hide. The sword with a large wide single edged blade of very good steel, crystalline damascus patterning can be faintly discerned, the chamfered edge tapers to a sharp point. As with earlier Afghan and Cnetral Asian swords, the hilt of the sword fits deeply and snugly into the scabbard so only the pommel protudes. The hilt mounted with steel, the grips of lightish horn with two strips of black horn sandwiched between the steel gripstrap. The scabbard features two sturdy steel rings for mounting straps, the chape terminating in a spiral worked steel bud. A fantastic example of this popular northern sword. Early 19th century. Indo persian