During Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh’s tour of India in 1869–70, he visited the Maharajah of Vizianagaram’s new palace and went hunting with him. He also held a durbar (Indian court ceremony) attended by the maharajah and other local rulers. It was probably at this time that this dagger was presented, its ivory handle decorated with diamonds in the form of flowers. At the top of the curved knuckle guard is a yali, a mythical leonine creature often found in South Indian Hindi temple carvings. The Maharajah presented a similar dagger to the duke’s older brother, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, during his visit to India five years later (RCIN 11251). 

Exhibited at the South Kensington Museum after the duke’s return to Britain, 1872.