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Lot Essay
On the spine of the blade: …tigh … shah jahan ziya’ al-din muhammad ibn ja‘far khan, ‘… blade … of Shah Jahan, Ziya’ al-Din Muhammad ibn Ja ‘far Khan’
This tulwar is inscribed to an officer of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The fine watering of blade suggests a noble owner and the figuring relates to that of an imperial Shah Jahan era sword illustrated in Ricketts and Missilier, Splendeur des Armes Orientales, Paris, 1988, no.169, p.104. The blade once bore an engraved cartouche which may have provided further clues to the identity of the owner but unfortunately – almost certainly as a result of some overzealous polishing by a later proud owner – cannot be made out.
The watered steel hilt with raised decoration is an uncommon form, but finely executed. Although watered steel with damascening became popular in hilts in the 19th century, the small pommel disc and short quillons are far more typical of the 17th century (Robert Elgood, Arms and Armour of the Jaipur Court, New Delhi, 2015, no.81, pp.117-8) and it is very possible the damascening was added later. As such, both the hilt and blade of the present lot seem contemporary and, quite possibly, have stayed together since the sword was first made.
This tulwar is inscribed to an officer of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. The fine watering of blade suggests a noble owner and the figuring relates to that of an imperial Shah Jahan era sword illustrated in Ricketts and Missilier, Splendeur des Armes Orientales, Paris, 1988, no.169, p.104. The blade once bore an engraved cartouche which may have provided further clues to the identity of the owner but unfortunately – almost certainly as a result of some overzealous polishing by a later proud owner – cannot be made out.
The watered steel hilt with raised decoration is an uncommon form, but finely executed. Although watered steel with damascening became popular in hilts in the 19th century, the small pommel disc and short quillons are far more typical of the 17th century (Robert Elgood, Arms and Armour of the Jaipur Court, New Delhi, 2015, no.81, pp.117-8) and it is very possible the damascening was added later. As such, both the hilt and blade of the present lot seem contemporary and, quite possibly, have stayed together since the sword was first made.