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Lot 286

A Mughal gilt steel Sword
Northern India, 17th Century
(2)

23 April 2013, 10:30 BST
London, New Bond Street

£5,000 - £7,000

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A Mughal gilt steel Sword
Northern India, 17th Century

the single-edged watered steel blade displaying a fine and prominent Kirk Narbudem or ladder pattern throughout, inlaid at a later date to one side in gold koftgari with an inscription-filled roundel and four inscription-filled cartouches, the gilt-steel hilt engraved with floral and foliate interlace, the wood scabbard clad in velvet
94.5 cm. long(2)

Footnotes

Provenance: acquired from Auctions Imperial LLC, An International Auction of Fine Antique Arms and Armour, Maryland, USA, 15th March 2008, lot 146.

Inscriptions: Qur'an chapter LXI (al-saff), part of verse 13; the name: 'Qara Khurasani' (unrecorded as a maker, may be owner's name); bandeh-ye shah-e velayat 'abbas 'Slave of the King of Trusteeship 'Abbas'; also a Persian couplet possibly reading: bar farq-e doshmanan ... in tigh bashad khun-e hoseyn-e mazlim ya 'ali, in short, invoking Imam 'Ali so that this sword be on the head of enemies for the blood of Imam Husayn.

Additional information