Indian Dagger Sells for $3.4 Million at Bonham's

LONDON—An Indian dagger made for Shah Jahan, the Muhal emperor who built the Taj Mahal, sold at Bonham’s today for £1.7 million ($3.4 million), reports Bloomberg.  The steel-and-sardonyx dagger, or “khanjar,” was produced in 1629–30 and bears a gold inscription naming Shah Jahan “conqueror of the world.” Exceeding its pre-sale estimate of £300–500,000, the dagger went to an anonymous buyer who beat a £1.3 million bid from Vijay Mallya, chairman of United Breweries Holdings, Ltd. of India.

The Bonham’s sale followed Christie’s and Sotheby’s sales in London this week, raising a total of £2.8 million for the auction house.