Bhutanese silver ‘Dozum’ dagger

This example:
A high class piece, originating from a group of high quality specimens all dating from around 1900. The hilt is made of wood with braided silverwire held together with knotted red cloth. The pommel is made of ajour silver depicting a bell which represents Buddha’s voice, surrounded by scrolls of foliage. The back of the pommel shows a complicated openwork detail and the pommel cap is decorated with a lotus surrounded by foliage. Both sides of the hilt are embedded with a ribbed silver washer and all silver fittings have a partially gilded finished. The scabbard consists of two wooden slabs, geld together with rayskin hide and heavy silver fittings which are decorated with scrolls of lotus petals borders and a center of foliage. The blade is traditionally forged with a hairpin lamination of carbon and regular steel to create a contrast which was emphasized by a series of fullers which were carved in similar shape, but not in sync with the actual lamination.

The scabbard is made of two wooden slabs, held together with heavy silver fittings which are beautifully shaped and decorated with a frieze of foliage with gilded lotus petal borders. The mid section is covered with Asian ray-skin which is often seen, but was professionally restored in this occasion.

Conclusion:
A very fine and attractive example of a Bhutanese ‘Dozum’ dagger which dates from around 1900 and of which a small group is known with similar quality mounts and blade. The fittings are of such high quality that this knife presumably belonged to a man of high recognition, for example a village chief or high ranked official.