Persian Qajar Period Watered Steel Dagger. Double-edged curved blade of fine wootz steel. Walrus ivory hilt with worn relief carvings of a ruler surrounded by courtiers, each side with two cartooches of nastaliq script. Provenance: George Halla, Czech Republic consul to New South Wales, 1948; thence by descent, private collection, Sydney. NB: export restrictions. (L38cm) Estimate $800-1,500