Pesh-kabz knife, presented to Sir Claude Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief in India

Pesh-kabz knife with blade with chiseled back and hammered yellow metal decoration; with four plates of ivory on the hilt, forming 'beak'. Hilt painted with orange and crimson paint.

The knife and scabbard were presented to Sir Claude Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief in India, by Subedar Major Allah Jan, 218 Company, Royal Indian Army Service Corps.

The pesh-kabz is an Indo-Persian knife used extensively in northern India and Afghanistan. It has similarities to the Khyber knife, or choora, but has a significantly shorter blade. Designed as a stabbing weapon, the pesh-kabz had a sharp, tapering single-edged blade which was designed to penetrate mail armour and thicker textiles. Easily portable, the weapons were popular souvenirs for British soldiers serving on the North West Frontier of India.