Antique Indian Lion-headed Shamshir Sword with solid Silver-Gilt hilt

 A fine quality Indian sword ‘Shamshir’. The hilt is of solid silver and is heavily gilt allover, the grip and lower guard with very beautiful deeply hand-chiselled panels of decoration, the pommel chiselled as a maned lions head. The curved blade is of very finely watered crystalline wootz or ‘damascus’ steel, at the forte on each side is a curious engraved motif which appears to incorporate a cross amongst a pattern of dots. The back edge is sharpened, and the blade itself is thick and very strong. 35 inches long overall.   indo-persian, tulwar