SINDH, NORTH WEST INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT, 19TH CENTURY

Details

A TALPUR ENAMELLED FLINTLOCK RIFLE (JEZAIL)
SINDH, NORTH WEST INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT, 19TH CENTURY
The gold-damascened inscribed and facetted steel barrel with slightly tapering muzzle, secured to the stock with blue and green enamelled rings, the breech and butt similarly enamelled, the lock plate marked “The Op s Richards” and engraved with stylised foliate patterns, the leather strap detached
61in. (150.1cm.) long overall; barrel 47 ¾in. (121.5cm.)

Engraved

Inscription (on the barrel):
Sarkar Mir Mohammed Murad ‘Ali ibn Mohammed Sobdar Khan Talpur

Special notice

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Lot Essay

This rifle was perhaps made for Mir Murad ‘Ali Khan Talpur (d.1834) or Mir Mohammed ‘Ali Khan Talpur of the royal house of Hyderabad in Sindh, one of the three ruling houses of the Talpur family. Mir Murad ‘Ali Khan was the youngest son of Mir Sobdar Khan Talpur. His eldest brother, Mir Fateh ‘Ali Khan, founded the Hyderabad ruling house after their father was assassinated. Mir Mohammed ‘Ali Khan was the son of another member of the family called Mir Sobdar Khan and the grand-son of Mir Fateh ‘Ali Khan (Askari, 1999, p.80).

The Talpurs were a wealthy Baluchi dynasty who controlled most of Sindh until its eventual annexation by the British in 1843. They were known for their passion for hunting and their elaborately decorated firearms and manuscripts.

This is one of a small number of very finely decorated guns made for various members of the Talpur family. For two enamelled flintlock guns, both bearing the name of Murad ‘Ali Khan, see Falk (ed)., 1985, no.332. A Talpur matchlock rifle is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (inv.no.36.25.2141; Alexander, 2015, cat.no.120, pp.286-287). An enamelled Talpur gun is in the Nasser D. Khalili Collection (Alexander,1992, no.137, pp.202-205).

For examples of decorated guns and daggers made for the Talpurs which have sold in these Rooms, see 23 April 2015, lot 140 and 9 October 2014, lot 151.

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