Dagger [peshkabz], Damascus steel blade, white nephrite jade hilt carved as a camel's head.

The dagger has a single-edged, Damascus steel blade set into a white nephrite jade hilt, the terminal of which has been carved and polished in the form of a domesticated camel's head. The camel is depicted wearing a bridle and with its tongue hanging out of the right side of its mouth.

This dagger and sheath were acquired by William Tayler during his time in India (1829-1867). He subsequently sold them to the South Kensington Museum (later renamed the Victoria & Albert Museum) in 1874 for the sum of £15-0-0.

William Tayler was educated in England at Charterhouse and also spent a term at Christ Church, Oxford. He entered service with the East India Company on 30th April 1829, arriving in India in October of the same year. He held various posts in Bengal and was appointed Commissioner of Patna in 1855. During his service, he was able to acquire many objects, including hardstones, relating to the customs and religions of India as well as objects from other parts of South Asia.
He was criticised for his handling of the uprisings in Northern India and was moved to a lesser post before being suspended, ultimately resigning on 29th March 1859. He then practised as an advocate in the law courts of Bengal before returning to England in 1867.
He wrote a book about his experiences, entitled Thirty-eight Years in India, in which he states that "After my return to England, circumstances induced me, though with great reluctance, to part with the collection which is now in the South Kensington Museum".

The dagger was made within the Mughal empire, perhaps in the second half of the 17th century. Although the nephrite jade hilt would have enhanced the appearance of the dagger, its weight would also have helped to counter-balance the steel blade. Although nephrite is a hard and durable material, one major disadvantage is that it could be liable to damage from sharp impacts, possibly sufficient to render the dagger unusable without a replacement hilt.
The blade too is a combination of appearance and functionality. The attractive patterning displays the laminations that have been built up during the forging process and which give the finished blade great toughness and strength.

645&A-1874