Qing-dynasty Service Saber with Iron Cross-guard Overall Picture

There were strict regulations on the classes of knives in the Qing dynasty (1368-1644 AD) of China. This service knife weighing 688g was a government-issued weapon for military personnel. On its goose-feather-shaped blade lie two fullers, one of which, situated in the middle, runs continuously from the cross-guard right into the tip, while the other, placed near the spine, is divided into five sections, with the blanks between each two filled with two highly-decorative chased round spots. The bolster of this knife, a common component for Ming and Qing knives serving as both decoration and a fastener for the scabbard, is embellished with engraved patterns featuring lotus flowers and intertwined lotus vines.