Lot Essay
A few swords of this form have survived. At least seven are in the Askeri Museum, Istanbul, (nos. 2440, 5924, 5928, 5931, 14788, 21661 and 24147), while three others are in collections in the west. One of these was exhibited in Geneva (Falk, S.J.: Treasures of Islam, London, 1985, no.307, p.301) which differs from the present example in that it has straight quillons. On some swords of the period the roundels on the pommel were decorated and sometimes even enamelled with heraldic bearings. A number of these pommels have been found in places with known crusader associations.