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Lot Essay
Mughal sources make frequent references to the presentation of daggers with jade hilts to favoured individuals at court. Paintings of Mughal Emperors in the first half of the eighteenth century often depict them with jewelled jade-hilts tucked into their cummerbunds. A Mughal painting dating from circa 1713-19, in the David Collection in Copenhagen, depicts the Emperor Farrukhsiyar with a pistol-grip gem-set dagger tucked into this sash, bestowing a jewel to a nobleman (inv. no. 26/1982, illustrated in S. Stronge, Bejewelled Treasures – The Al Thani Collection, London 2015, fig.3, p.12).
The gemstones finely inlaid into the hard jade hilt of this dagger are a testament to the technical excellence and artistic expression of craftsmen in eighteenth century Mughal India. The delicate pale green of the jade is highlighted in contrast with the bright colours of the inlay. The gem-setting on the gold scabbard, possibly slightly later in date, compliments the impressive floral and foliate gem-set decoration arranged in a vertical alignment of gold tendrils.
The form of the hilt has also often been associated with the Deccan. Two 17th century gem-set jade hilt daggers in the Al-Sabah collection in Kuwait are of similar form to the current lot, the quillons with upturned tips and the curved pommel set with similarly-set floral motif with emanating tendrils. (inv. no. LNS 115 J ab, LNS 69 HS ab; S. Kaoukji, Princely Indian Weapons and other Princely Accoutrements, London, 2017, cat. 49 & 52, pp. 154-155 & 160-161). However, the floral arrangement of the gem-stones is closer in comparison to that seen on two seventeenth century Deccani gold sword hilts and fittings in the Collection (inv. no. LNS 2158 J a-c, LNS 126 J ab; Kaoukji, 2017, op. cit., cat. 103 & 108, pp. 287-89 & 300-302).
The gemstones finely inlaid into the hard jade hilt of this dagger are a testament to the technical excellence and artistic expression of craftsmen in eighteenth century Mughal India. The delicate pale green of the jade is highlighted in contrast with the bright colours of the inlay. The gem-setting on the gold scabbard, possibly slightly later in date, compliments the impressive floral and foliate gem-set decoration arranged in a vertical alignment of gold tendrils.
The form of the hilt has also often been associated with the Deccan. Two 17th century gem-set jade hilt daggers in the Al-Sabah collection in Kuwait are of similar form to the current lot, the quillons with upturned tips and the curved pommel set with similarly-set floral motif with emanating tendrils. (inv. no. LNS 115 J ab, LNS 69 HS ab; S. Kaoukji, Princely Indian Weapons and other Princely Accoutrements, London, 2017, cat. 49 & 52, pp. 154-155 & 160-161). However, the floral arrangement of the gem-stones is closer in comparison to that seen on two seventeenth century Deccani gold sword hilts and fittings in the Collection (inv. no. LNS 2158 J a-c, LNS 126 J ab; Kaoukji, 2017, op. cit., cat. 103 & 108, pp. 287-89 & 300-302).