Indian or Afghan sword with goldwork, wootz blade with inlaid cartouche

A very fine Indo-Persian sword from North India/Afghanistan, probably 18th or very early 19th century. The unusual form of hilt with a ribbed globular pommel, and basket hilt guards to the side and front, all extensively decorated with very fine detailed applied goldwork in scrolls, the interior with chevrons. The blade Persian of kilij type form, with a double bladed tip, displaying some faint linear wootz pattern. At the forte are two inlaid cartouches containing arabic farsi calligraphy, unusual stepped fullering along the blade back edge with further inlaid designs at the junctions. A rare sword form. Overall length 34 inches, the blade 29 inches approximately.