BLADE IRAN, 17TH OR 18TH CENTURY, HILT AND SHEATH INDIA, 19TH CENTURY

Details

AN IVORY-HILTED WATERED-STEEL SWORD
BLADE IRAN, 17TH OR 18TH CENTURY, HILT AND SHEATH INDIA, 19TH CENTURY
The single-edged curving blade with gold-inlaid inscription reading 'amal Kalb'Ali (the work of Kalb 'Ali) and a talismanic square (bedouh), the hilt with gold-plated guard and metal-thread woven sword knot, the green velvet covered sheath with gemset gold mounts engraved with floral decoration, together with a gemset gold finial with pearl and metal thread tassel, detached
38.7/8 in. (98.5 cm.) long (with sheath)

Provenance

(According to the R.U.S.I. catalogue) Given to Lord FitzRoy Somerset by Lt. General Sir George Pollock, Bt. (1786-1872).
Deposited with the Royal United Service Institution by Lt. Col. George Somerset, 3rd Baron Raglan, in 1895; removed by Major FitzRoy Somerset, 4th Baron Raglan, in October 1952.

Literature

Official Catalogue of the Royal United Service Museum, Whitehall, S.W., 3rd Edition, 1908, p. 202, no. 3045; and subsequent editions; described as '3045. A Jewelled Sword of Indian make, given to Lord FitzRoy Somerset by Lieut.-General Sir George Pollock, C.B.'

Special notice

Prospective purchasers are advised that several countries prohibit the importation of property containing materials from endangered species, including but not limited to coral, ivory and tortoiseshell. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country. Items which contain rubies or jadeite originating in Burma (Myanmar) may not be imported into the U.S. Please be advised that a purchasers inability to import any such item into the U.S. or any other country shall not constitute grounds for non-payment or cancellation of the sale. With respect to items that contain any other types of gemstones originating in Burma (e.g., sapphires), such items may be imported into the U.S., provided that the gemstones have been mounted or incorporated into jewellery outside of Burma and provided that the setting is not of a temporary nature (e.g., a string).

Sale room notice

Please note that the detached tassel is original to the sword.

Brought to you by

Katharine Cooke

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kcooke@christies.com +44(0)20 7389 2343

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Lot Essay

Field Marshal Sir George Pollock, Bt., GCB, GCSI (1786-1872) was commissioned into the Bengal Artillery in 1803. He was present at the siege of Bharatpur (1805) and later took part in the Nepal War (1814-16) and Anglo-Burmese War (1824-26). He is best known for his role in the First Afghan War (1839-42). After the massacre of the withdrawing British and Indian troops and their families in the Khyber Pass during the winter of 1841, he came to the aid of the garrison at Jallalabad, defeating an enemy of 10,000 with the loss of just 135 of his own men. The wife of the commander of the garrison was amongst those rescued and a copy of her journal is included in the Raglan collection (part of lot 223).
It is possible that this sword was acquired by Pollock during that campaign though it is difficult to be specific.

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