BLADE IRAN EARLY 18TH CENTURY; MOUNTS NORTH INDIA, EARLY 19TH CENTURY

細節

A TALPUR SWORD (TULWAR)
BLADE IRAN EARLY 18TH CENTURY; MOUNTS NORTH INDIA, EARLY 19TH CENTURY
The curving watered steel single-edged shamshir blade inlaid in gold on one side with a cusped inscription roundel above a signature cartouche, a later owner's inscription similarly worked running along the spine, the typical tulwar hilt engraved with concentric hatched bands and completely covered in gold, the green velvet-covered wooden sheath with embroidered leather knife sheath, silver locket and chape worked with floral sprays within cartouches on green and blue enamel grounds, the associated leather belt embroidered with scrolling floral motifs and roundels and with a number of silver applied panels enamelled and worked similar to the locket and chape, similar buckle, slight corrosion, wear and damage
sword 39½in. (100.5cm.) long

注意事項

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

拍品專文

The signature on the Persian blade reads: The work of Muhammad Kazem Shirazi. The other inscription on that side is a couplet in Persian, mentioning the name Karam'ali Khan.

The inscription on the spine reads: sarkar-e mir murad 'ali khan-e talpur madad ya 'ali 'alayha al-salam (Sarkar Mir Murad 'Ali Khan Talpur, O 'Ali, May peace be upon him, Help!)

Another sword by this maker was in the Leo S. Figiel Collection (L.S.Figiel: On Damascus Steel, New York, 1991, pp.84-5). That sword was dated [1]128 (1715-16 AD), showing this maker to have been active in the late Safavid period. He was also commissioned by Shah Sultan Husayn to make a steel penbox, dated 1109/1697-8 or 1119/1707-8 now in the Shrine of the Imam Reza, Mashhad (J. Allan & B. Gilmour: Persian Steel, The Tanavoli Collection, Oxford, 2000, pp. 30, 204, 287 & 524). A sword with similar enamelled mounts was exhibited in Karachi (N. Askari: Treasures of the Talpurs, exhibition catalogue, Karachi, 1999, figs.66 and 67, pp.65-6).

The Talpur family belong to the Baluchi tribes and are mentioned as officers and ministers of the Kalhora kings of Sind who they eventually overthrew. The first king, Fath'ali Khan (d. 1217/1802) was one of the four brothers. After his death, Ghulam'ali (d.1227/1811), Karam'ali Khan (d.1244/1828) and Murad'ali (d.1249/1833) became the rulers. They became renowned for their appreciation of art, notable manuscripts and weapons, many of which have appeared on the market and are in public and private collections.