Among the thousands of lots in Hermann Historica’s (25% buyer’s premium) May sales series in Munich, one of the highlights was this gold inlaid karud from Turkestan which sold at €29,000 (£25,665).
The karud is a murderous weapon with a long slender blade that is sometimes likened to a butcher’s knife, but in this case the deadly steel was cloaked in layers of opulent decoration.
The walrus ivory grips were studded with emeralds and rubies set in gold, while the wooden scabbard was encased in silver, gilded, chased with flowers and set with coral, turquoise, emeralds and rubies.