AN OTTOMAN SWORD (KILIJ)

NORTH AFRICA, SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY

Details

AN OTTOMAN SWORD (KILIJ)
NORTH AFRICA, SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY
The single-edged watered steel blade undecorated, the ivory-faced scrolling hilt with pronounced ball terminal, the medial silver band with simple pounced border, the wooden sheath with repoussé silver mounts and applied ivory panels, the mounts worked with lobed motifs within a floral meander border, the spine with silver panel engraved: Souvenir de S[on] E[xcellence] Gordon Pacha à Mr Habib Sciavi, Mars 1877, all silver panels fully marked
overall 40¼in. (102.5cm.) long

Lot Essay

This sword was given by General Gordon, of Khartoum fame, to the recipient. Charles George Gordon (1835-1885) passed through Egypt in 1877 where he received the governor-generals of Sudan and Darfour amongst others before going south to Khartoum. His face is well-known from the first world war 'your country needs you' poster campaign.

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