THE BLADE, IRAN, 18TH CENTURY, THE HILT, INDIA, SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY

Details

A WATERED-STEEL AND GOLD-DAMASCENED SWORD (SHAMSHIR)
THE BLADE, IRAN, 18TH CENTURY, THE HILT, INDIA, SECOND HALF 19TH CENTURY
The curved blade with ladder-of-the-prophet pattern, struck with a lion within a lobed medallion, a gold-damascened cartouche in nasta'liq above, the hilt with pronounced floral sprays, black velvet sheath
33 ½in. (85cm.) long

Engraved

In the cartouche above the lion: bandah-i shah-i vilayat ‘abbas, 'Slave of the King of Trusteeship (i.e. ‘Ali), ‘Abbas'

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Lot Essay

Shamshirs and tulwars with Persian blades inscribed banda -i shah -i vilayat 'abbas (The servant of the King of Trusteeship, 'Abbas) previously sold at Christie’s. The particularly fine watering of our sword can be likened to the watered steel blade of two shamshirs which sold at Christie’s, South Kensington, 7 April 2011, lot 160 and 06 October 2011, lot 197. The blade of the latter was fitted with a tulwar’s hilt similar to the present lot.

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