Peter Finer Arms and Amour of Asia ~ Asian Art in London Week

Arms & Armour of Asia

Peter Finer E S T A B L I S H E D

1 9 6 7

Asian Art in London

Peter Finer E S T A B L I S H E D

1 9 6 7

We are excited to participate for the second year in Asian Art in London, now celebrating its twentieth year.

This catalogue contains highlights from our current exhibition, but we hope that you have an opportunity to visit us at the gallery this week to view all of the objects on show, including works from Tibet, the Ottoman Empire, the Indian subcontinent, and Japan.

All at Peter Finer would like to thank Thom Richardson for his instrumental expertise and for his authorship of this catalogue; we are deeply appreciative. We would also like to thank Nicholas McCullough, Ian Bottomley and Colin Crisford for their contributions.

Peter, Red and Roland Finer

Peter Finer E S T A B L I S H E D 1 9 6 7 Fine Antique Arms, Armour & Related Objects

Duke Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6DF + 44 (0) 20 7839 5666 www.peterfiner.com gallery@peterfiner.com 38 − 39

1

An EQUESTRIAN HARNESS FITTING 15th – 17th century Tibetan or Chinese for the Tibetan market Iron, gold and leather 12.5 in / 32 cm x 9 in / 23 cm

Provenance Private collection, Switzerland; Private Collection, Germany

This set of pendant fittings was probably mounted at the centre of the peytral or breast collar of a complete set of horse harness with matching fittings comprising bridle, peytral, crupper and saddle. Each element is of gilded iron, pierced and chiselled with a design of animals within a ground of scroll-work. The major elements, a circular strap joiner and lobate pendant, have borders decorated with repeating concentric circles within an undulating line damascened in gold, a form of decoration found on pieces dateable to the Ming Yongle period (1402–24, see Richardson 1996).

The first of these is decorated with a central Wheel of Law (chos kyi ‘khor lo) with a pair of birds above and sinuous dragons at either side. The lobed pendant is decorated with a pair of deer at either side of a phoenix. The five pendants suspended from this element retain their original leather linings and straps, characteristically stained green. The fittings are comparable to a number of harness fittings of high quality, including two saddles and a group of four other harness fittings, all in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

References

D. J. LaRocca, Warriors of the Himalayas: rediscovering the arms and armor of Tibet, New York, 2006; T. Richardson, ‘The Ming sword’, Royal Armouries Yearbook 1, 1996

2

Helmet of the

of a

High-ranking Member

Royal Household

Probably Yeongjo Period, circa 1724–76 Korea. Joseon Dynasty Iron, gold, brass, silk 16 in / 41 cm

Provenance Private collection, Germany, since circa 1980

The five-clawed dragon, an ancient symbol of imperial power in China, was adopted as the imperial symbol under the Mongol Yuan Dynasty of China (1271–1368), and continued to be used by the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). Dragons in pursuit of the flaming pearls of immortality are found on a number of Chinese and Mongolian helmets of this period, one such is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (no. 2005.270, D. J. LaRocca, 2006, pp. 83–4, no. 18).

Under the emperors of the Qing Dynasty this style seems to have fallen into disfavour in China, where applied decoration including calligraphic inscriptions are found on the helmets of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors. In Korea the imperial Chinese dragon was adopted as its emblem by the Joseon (Choson) or Yi Dynasty (1392–1897). An overall decorative scheme involving dragons is found on a group of late sixteenth-century helmets from Joseon dynasty Korea, all with two-piece skulls, many of them associated with Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s invasion of Korea in 1592–8, including examples in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (no. 118.1878), Beijing (Wei Zhou, 1957, pl. 69; Du Wenyu and Wang Yan, 2007, p. 41) and the Musée Guimet, Paris. These may have been of Chinese manufacture originally, like the example with an undecorated skull in the Royal Armouries (no. xxvia.257). Compare for example, the damascened helmet preserved in the Metropolitan

compare the example with an undecorated skull in the

Detail from the portrait of Yeongjo dari Joseon (1694–1776), the 21st king of the Joseon Dynasty, wearing the gollyongpo.

Museum of Art, New York (no. 1935.36.25.1A, illustrated in Stephen V. Grancsay, Arms and Armor Essays from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin 1920– 1964, 1986, pp. 171–2, pl. 63.11). The form of the brow band and peak are closely comparable to another Chinese helmet in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (no. 1997.8, LaRocca 2006, pp. 85–6, no. 19) and the crisp decoration incised through silver overlay is executed in similar style, suggesting that the helmet might be even earlier and possible of late seventeenthcentury date.

The present helmet is a rare continuation of this Joseon tradition. The profusion and high quality of the gold damascening, together with the inclusion of imperial five-clawed dragons, indicates with certainty that this helmet would have been worn by a highranking member of the royal court. The form of the skull of our example, with its double transverse ridge,

is very rare, and closely comparable to a single helmet in a Korean private collection whose skull is undecorated but whose brow band, peak and boss are very similar in form and decoration. The tridentshaped plume holder of our helmet, unattested in China, also appears on one of the late sixteenthcentury Korean dragon helmets. It should be noted that the quality of the damascened patterns on the skull of the present helmet is on a par with the finest of the examples cited above, and that the present helmet is of the highest quality. Furthermore the form of the dragon en face at the front of our helmet so exactly emulates the red dragon robe (gollyongpo) depicted on the portrait of King Yeongjo (National Palace Museum of Korea, The King at the Palace: Joseon Royal Court Culture at the National Palace Museum of Korea, Seoul, 2015, no. 227) that it was most probably made for his court. The wooden pattern stamp for embroideries dated 1901, preserved in the same museum (ibid., fig. 16), indicates the longevity of this form of decoration within Joseon court culture.

For a survey of the development of Chinese armour, from the archaic to the nineteenth century, see Robinson, Oriental Armour, 1967, 126–66 and Yonghua Liu, Zhongguo Gudai Junrong Fushi, Shanghai, 2003.

Little literature on the history of early modern Korean arms and armour is available, but see the survey in J. L. Boots, ‘Korean Weapons and Armor’, Transactions of the Korean Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society 23.2 (1934), 1–37.

References D. J. LaRocca, Warriors of the Himalayas: Rediscovering the Arms and Armor of Tibet, New York, 2006; Wei Zhou, Zhongguo Bingqi shi gao, Beijing, 1957; Du Wenyu and Wang Yan, Zhongguo Gudai Bingqi yu Bingshu, Xian, 2007

3

A Brace of Bronze Cannon Dated June 1866 and January 1867 respectively

China, Jiangnan Arsenal, Shanghai Bronze and wood 23.6 in / 60 cm x 48 in / 122 cm

Provenance Lowther castle, Cumbria, seat of the Earls of Lonsdale; Included in the five-part dispersal auction of the castle contents conducted by Maple & Co., 17th April 1947, lot 558, sold for ÂŁ140

The sacking of the Summer Palace and the capture of Beijing during the Second Opium War of 1860 revealed to the Manchus the obsolete nature of their military system, and led to a rapid modernisation of the Chinese army along European lines with the aid of French military advisors. This process, called the Self Strengthening Movement or Tongzhi Reform, led to mass importation of western weapons as well as the manufacture of copies of them in Chinese arsenals. By 1864 the Huai army was recorded as having 80% foreign-made guns. The 4.62 inch (12 pounder) American Model 1841 Mountain Howitzer on which the present guns are based was designed for mobile field artillery use, conventionally mounted on a light wheeled carriage, and saw extensive service in the Mexican American War through to the American Civil War. The lighter version of a field gun, the carriage and gun could be quickly disassembled and transported on three mules over rough terrain. The type was used, either by direct import and refinishing, or by casting locally, in various parts of Asia.

Two other versions of this gun in the Royal Armouries collection (nos xix.108–9, Blackmore 1978, 165–6, nos 229–30) were cast in the Punjab for Maharajah Sher Singh and dated 1838/9 and 1843/4 respectively. The Jiangnan Machine Manufacturing General Bureau, usually called the Jiangnan arsenal, was established in 1865 in Shanghai, and by mid-1867 was producing 18 twelve pound howitzers of this type a month under the technical direction of an American, T. F. Falls (Elman 359–60).

with a lengthy inscription in Chinese characters, including the arsenal inspector’s name together with the respective dates of inspection. The base-rings also each fitted with adjustable back-sight retained by a small bronze bracket and knurled threaded screw.

Each with prominent button cascable, a pair of trunnions at the median point, and each preserved in fine crisp unpolished condition with a natural light green patina throughout. Each on a brass-mounted carved hardwood truck carriage, with bronze capsquares over the trunnions, elevating screw on a bronze spool-shaped casing, and the sides of the carriages carved in relief with elaborate panels of scrolling dragons emerging against a field of stylised clouds.

The inscription on barrel no.1 reads from the medial line: 12 pounder shrapnel shell light cannon number 12/inspected (shi) by the Jiangnan Manufacturing General Bureau (zhizao zongju) in the sixth month of the bingyin cyclical year (June 1866). The inscription on barrel no.2 will read identically with the exception of the date January 1867 and cannon number 60. 同洽丙寅六月江南裝詰總局識 十二磅開花子輕炮第十二尊 qiatong bingyin liuyue Jiangnan zhizao zongju shi’ shi’er bang kaihuazi qingpao di shi’er zun

References

Each of non-tapering tubular construction, with a prominent raised muzzle-ring carrying the fore-sight, a recessed reinforce with drilled vent and terminating in a base-ring. The base-rings of each barrel engraved

B. A. Elman, On Their Own Terms, Science in China 1550– 1900, Cambridge Mass., 2005

4

A Shield of Gilt-Copper (Tombak) Early 17th century

Turkey. Ottoman Period Gilt-copper alloy, velvet, silk, goatskin leather 21.5 in / 54.5 cm

Provenance A Princely German Ancestral Collection; Private collection, USA

This Ottoman Turkish shield (kalkan) is of exceptional rarity. The shield belongs to a very small number of surviving pieces of Ottoman armour dating from the late 16th-mid-17th century, made of the brilliantly gilded copper alloy known as tombak.

This metal alloy was naturally too soft to have been used in war combat, but worn ceremonially instead by members of elite Janissary units, almost certainly by the guards of the senior nobility at court or to the Grand Viziers to the Sultan (Sadrazam).

Today, shields of this type barely exist in private ownership, certainly less than can be counted on one hand, and in museum collections they are of the utmost rarity also. All of these known few, together with other closely related helmets, breast-plates and smaller elements of tombak armour, share a very similar punch technique in the application of their decoration. In most of these instances the decoration draws on the decorative foliate and diaper themes firmly established in Ottoman culture by about 157080, and are most vividly evident in the superbly vibrant glazed pottery and tiles from the town of Iznik in western Anatolia. The use of the serrated Saz leaf, the cypress tree and a variety of recognisable flowers are all characteristic of Ottoman decorative arts from this period onward.

A closely comparable shield is preserved in the collection of booty from the Turkish wars now held in the “Türckische Kammer” of the Badisches Landesmuseum in Karlsruhe, Germany (Inv. Nr. D 16).

The construction and form of the Karlsruhe shield is virtually identical to the present example under discussion, and its punched ornamentation conforms to type, including the cypress trees, the Saz leaves and tulips: see Badisches Landesmuseum 1991, cat. No. 117, pp. 171-2.

Other examples, closely comparable also, are included in the collection of tombak armour in the Askeri (Military) Museum in Istanbul (for two see Inv. Nos. 21264 and 4519/6): see Ozkan 2001.

An early 17th century Ottoman tombak helmet in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1995.68) is discussed by David Alexander in his catalogue of the museum’s Islamic arms and armour. In the course of his discussion he makes comparison with a tombak helmet and shield (the latter also briefly referenced above)

similarly punched with floral designs which are in the Askeri Museum in Istanbul (Inv. No. 6894 helmet and 4519/6 shield). Alexander notes that the shield in Istanbul is said to have belonged to the Ottoman Grand Vizier Hafiz Ahmed Pasha (circa 1570-1632), appointed to that position in 1625 by Murad IV (r.

1623-40): see Alexander 2015, no. 37, pp. 104-5; also see Bodur Eruz 1987. Regrettably this shield attributed to the Grand Vizier in person bears no inscription by which the historic tradition could be confirmed unquestionably; Alexander notes nonetheless that this group of similarly punch-decorated pieces of tombak armour should correctly be attributed to the early 17th century, making additional reference to two tombak shaffrons with punched zig-zag ornament also in the MMA collections and which are firmly ascribed to this period.

Our tombak shield has been expertly conserved and retains the majority of the original bright gilding.

Armour of this exceptional rarity would be among the highlights of any collection of Islamic arms and armour.

References D. Alexander, Islamic Arms and Armor in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2015; E. Atil, Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery, Washington, 1985; Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe, Die Karlsruher Türkenbeute – Die “Türckische Kammer” des Markgrafen Ludwig Wilhelm von Baden-Baden – Die “Türckischen Curiositaeten” der Markgrafen von Baden-Durlach, Munich 1991; Fulya Bodur, Türk Maden Sanati/ The Art of Turkish Metalworking, exhibition catalogue, Hagia Irene, Istanbul. Istanbul 1987; O. Ozkan, Askeri Muze: Tombak Eserler Katalogu, Istanbul 2001

‫ﺑﺴﻢ ﷲ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ اﻟﺮﺣﯿﻢ‬ ‘In the Name of God, The Compassionate, The Merciful.’

5

A Dagger and scabbard (hancer) Hilt and scabbard 18th century, blade 19th century

Hilt and scabbard fittings Indian, blade Ottoman Steel, jade (nephrite), gold, diamonds and rubies, wood, textile Length 17 in / 43.5 cm, blade 11.75 in / 30 cm

Provenance Mark Dineley Collection, 1990’s; private collection, UK

Mughal jade daggers were highly sought after in the Ottoman Empire, and frequently jade hilts such as this were remounted in Turkey. This example is related to three other daggers with the same set of inscriptions, including an ascription to a maker, Nasir of Ardalan. The three daggers include an example inscribed on the blade of a composite piece fitted with an Indian hilt from the Stone bequest in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (36.25.994, Alexander 2015, 203–5). The hilts and scabbards of two further daggers with waisted steel hilts include one dated 1770/1 (1184 AH) from the Henderson bequest in the British Museum and a third dated 1777/8 (1191 AH) in the Freer Gallery, Washington (nos 1878,1230.902 and 39.44 respectively, Atil 1985, 214–7, no. 35. Of these the daggers with the inscriptions on the blades appear to have been copied later from the two dated pieces.

The watered steel blade is decorated overall with calligraphic inscriptions inlaid in gold on the forte and in small diamonds of various colours in the fuller.

These read, on the right side of the blade in the fuller the basmalah, ‘In the name of God the Compassionate, the Merciful’, and on the forte with numerous errors ‘In the time of the ruler, the just king, heir to Dara, The khan of the world, favourite of ‘Ali, master of time, the lord of the sea and land’. The left side is inlaid in gold with Persian verses, also with errors ‘The pride of the masters, Nasir of Ardalan, follower of the

References D. Alexander, Islamic Arms and Armor in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2015; E. Atil, Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery, Washington, 1985

‫ ﺷﺎه ﻋﺎدل د]ا[ور داوا )ﮐﺬا( )دارا( ﺳﯿﺮ‬/ ‫در زﻣﺎن دوﻟﺖ ﺧﺎﻗﺎن‬ ‘In the time of the ruler (khaqan), the just king, the monarch with the Darius−like nature’

chief of artisans, made in Shiraz a beautiful dagger.

Like the crescent moon, from the water of magnificence (?) and gems …. told its date, A sun with a moon in its belt’. The hilt is of pale nephrite jade, carved in the form of a pistol grip and chiselled with restrained floral and foliate sprays. Around the waist is a collar of gold set with rubies. The scabbard is of wood covered with red velvet, fitted with a chape and top locket of nephrite carved with matching floral sprays, the latter fitted with a throat if gilded iron set with spinel rubies, matching the hilt.

‫ ﺳﺮور دوﻓﺮان )ﮐﺬا( )دوران( ﺧﺪﯾﻮ ﺑﺤﺮ و ﺑﺮ‬/ ‫ﺟﺎن )ﮐﺬا( ﻋﺎﻟﻢ ﻟﻄﻒ ﻣﻈﮭﺮ ﻋﻠﯽ‬ ‘The Khan of the World, the locus of ‘Ali’s kindness, the leader of the era, the lord of the sea and land’

‫ﻓﺨﺮ اﺳﺘﺎدان ﻧﺼﯿﺮ اردﻻن ﺗﺎﺑﻌﯽ ﻗﺪوه اھﻞ ھﻨﺮ ﺳﺎﺧﺖ در ﺷﯿﺮاز زﯾﺒﺎ ﺧﻨﺠﺮی ﭼﻮن ھﻼﻟﯽ زآب‬ ‫اﺟﻼل )؟( و ﮔﮭﺮ ﮔﻔﺖ ﺗﺎرﯾﺨﺶ ﺳﺮی )؟( ﺧﺮد ﻻف آﻓﺘﺎﺑﯽ را ھﻼﻟﯽ در ﮐﻤﺮ‬ ‘The pride of the masters, Nasir of Ardalan, follower of the chief of artisans, made in Shiraz a beautiful dagger. Like the crescent moon, from the water of magnificence (sic) and gems.. told its date, a sun with a moon in its belt’

6

A Sword with scabbard (kılıç) Blade possibly late 17th century, hilt and scabbard mid-19th century Hilt and scabbard fittings Ottoman, Kosovo. Blade Persian Steel, silver, gilding, brass, horn, wood, leather Length 39.5 in / 99 cm, blade 32.5 in / 82 cm Provenance E. A. Christensen, Denmark

This fine sword is typical of the taste of the officers of the Ottoman sipahis in the nineteenth century. Persian blades of the seventeenth century were fitted to the finest of these swords, and the most famous blade maker of the Safavid period, Asad Allah of Isfahan, was so highly sought after that his signature was retrospectively added to innumerable blades to enhance their worth. The style of mounting is typical of the north Balkans, and probably to be associated with the major arms making centre of Prizren in Kosovo; compare a sword in the Museo Stibbert, Florence, no. 5990, with a closely comparable hilt (Elgood 2009, 327, no. 237).

The watered steel blade is single-edged and deeply curved.

Inlaid at the forte in gold in a lobed medallion is the inscription bandeh-ye shah velyat ‘Abbas : ‘slave of the king of trusteeship ‘Abbas’, the title of the ‫ﺑﻨﺪه ﺷﺎه وﻻﯾﺖ ﻋﺒﺎس‬ ۱[۰]۹۹ ‫ﻋﻤﻞ اﺳﺪ ﷲ اﺻﻔﮭﺎﻧﯽ‬ ‫بدوح‬

Reference R. Elgood, The Arms of Greece and her Balkan neighbours in the Ottoman Period, London, 2009

Safavid Persian Shah ‘Abbas I (1571–1629), and in a second medallion ‘amal Asad Allah Isfahani 199 for the year 1099 ah (1687/8). Adjacent to these is a talismanic square or budūh, named after the four letter is contains. The hilt is of horn, of pistol grip form with an indented grip for the fingers. It has a quillon block of silver gilt chiselled with foliate sprays and flowers on a stippled ground. In the pommel, fitted with a matching grommet, is a hole for the sword knot. The scabbard is of wood covered with black leather and fitted with silver gilt top locket, mount for the second suspension loop and chape. Each is chiselled with naturalistic foliage and flowers with a scroll, all on a textured ground.

7

A Sword with scabbard (kılıç) Blade possibly 17th century, mounting early 19th century Hilt and scabbard Balkan, probably Montenegro. Blade Persian Steel, silver, gilding, brass, glass, horn, wood, leather, textile 39 in / 97.5 cm, blade 32.75 in / 83 cm Provenance E. A. Christensen, Denmark

The European taste of this kılıç and its decoration with elements associated with Greek nationalism suggest that it was one carried by a Greek officer during the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman Empire (1821–9). Many weapons decorated with such imagery were made in Greece, Epirus or in the great arms making centre of Boka Kotorska in Montenegro. Compare the sword of the Planariot Konstantinos Mourouzes, head dragoman (interpreter), bequeathed to the National Historical Museum, Athens by a descendant no. 2343 (Elgood 2009, 333, no. 366), and a similar sword in the Wallace Collection, no OA1781.

The watered steel blade is curved and single edged and uninscribed.

The hilt is of horn, of pistol grip form. It has a quillon block of brass chiselled reeded borders and a textured ground, and set on the outside with a large central spray of paste gems set on straps of silver and on a central turret mount, and with small florets of paste stones at the terminals of the quillons. In the pommel, fitted with a matching grommet, is a hole for the sword knot, a woven cord with a decorative tassel. Joining the pommel to the lower quillon is a knuckle bow of fine brass chain. The scabbard is of wood covered with black leather and fitted with a brass top locket, mount for the second suspension loop and chape. Each is chiselled with naturalistic olive branches, floral wreaths and trophies of arms, all on a finely stippled ground.

Reference R. Elgood, The Arms of Greece and her Balkan neighbours in the Ottoman Period, London, 2009

‫ حلاص‬the name Salih, is found on the breech of the barrel

8

A Flintlock Blunderbuss (τρομπόνι) Early 19th century

Ottoman, Epirus or Ionian Islands, European barrel Steel, gold, wood, silver, textile, leather Length 25.5 in / 65 cm, barrel 15 in / 38 cm

Provenance Private collection, France

This fine gun from Ioannina or in the Ionian Islands

The stock is of European form, of wood covered with silver sheet fretted with geometrical foliate scrolls incorporating vases and flowers and inlaid with foliate scrolls in silver wire. The butt cap and trigger guard are of silver. The barrel is secured by two silver barrel bands decorated to match with engraving. Two ramrod tubes retain the wooden ramrod. Attached by the hindmost lock screw is a suspension loop to which a long suspension cord of red and yellow whipped with leather is attached at its midpoint, the rear section secured in a leather bound loop to the neck of the butt, the fore end terminating in a loop.

incorporates an Italian lock. The northern Greek centre of Epirus became an important source of munitions for the Greeks during the Greek war of independence from Ottoman Turkey, and many of their products were decorated with the insignia of the Greek nationalists. Ioannina in Epirus together with the centre of Boka Kotorska in Montenegro were the most important manufacturing centres for arms.

Compare Wallace Collection no. OA2066, of the same type and origin, one from the Stefanis Foundation, Athens, no. 364 (Elgood 2009, 174 no. 212), and another in the Museo Poldi Pezzoli, Milan, no. 1035. Elgood suggests that this group were assembled and decorated on the Ionian Islands, and that the Italian term tromboni was used for them.

The barrel is octagonal at the breech then of round section to the swamped muzzle. It is of pattern welded steel, encrusted with neo-Rococo swags and foliage in gold overall. It has a short breech strap, screwed to the stock. The maker’s mark is stamped in a cartouche at the top flat of the breech. The flintlock is probably Italian, with a swan-necked cock, smooth frizzen with a curled tail, retaining a flint, and a copy of an Egg and Tatham waterproof pan. It is decorated with dense foliage and is gilded throughout.

Reference R. Elgood, The Arms of Greece and her Balkan neighbours in the Ottoman Period, London, 2009

9

A Punch dagger (katar) 17th century Indian, Mughal Empire Steel, gold, rubies 15.25 in / 38.5 cm, blade 10 in / 25.5 cm

Provenance Private collection, France

The indigenous Indian katar was adopted by the

81) all have associations with Lahore, suggesting that they and their earlier counterparts may have been made in the Panjab.

Mughal conquerors and worn ubiquitously, as is evident from the many miniature paintings illustrating these weapons. Those decorated with hunting scenes were probably intended for wear at the hunt, a popular pastime among the Mughal nobility.

Our dagger is closely associated with one from the Stone bequest to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (no. 36.25.913, Alexander 2016, 219, no. 87), which also features ruby eyes, another in the Victoria & Albert Museum (no. IS.56.1985) chiselled with elephants’ heads, and a dagger with a twisted steel hilt in the same museum (no. IS./86.1981, Stronge 1982, 131, no. 421). Alexander concedes that we do not know where in India these daggers were made, but a group of later katar with similar figural decoration in the fuller, including Royal Armouries nos XXVID.62, 85 and 103 (Richardson 2007, 30, 16, Stronge 1999, 219, no.

The blade is straight and double edged, with a pronounced reinforced armour piercing point. There is a wide central fuller chiselled with combats between a water buffalo and a lion at either side, in watered crucible steel with details in gold koftgari and set with rubies for eyes. The steel of the edge is bright, and this is probably a blade originally produced of Wootz and plain steel. The hilt is of the characteristic H-shape, entirely plain with chiselled facets.

References D. Alexander, Islamic Arms and Armor in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2015; T. Richardson, An introduction to the arms and armour of India, Leeds, 2007; S. Stronge, The Indian Heritage, London, 1982; S. Stronge, The Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms, London, 1999

10

A Punch dagger (katar) 17th – 19th century

Indian, Deccan Steel, silver, gold Length 15.5 / 39.5 cm, blade 9 ž in / 25 cm

Provenance Private collection, Germany

This highly unusual katar has an earlier, probably Deccani, blade which was mounted in the nineteenth century with a solidsilver hilt of exceptionally rare form. No exact comparisons are recorded, although a very similar hilt of iron mounted with an early blade (in this instance a European rapier blade), survives in a private collection (Ricketts & Missilier 1988, 138 no. 234). The broad, relatively short arms with scalloped terminals reflect the style of the Deccan, too, suggesting that the hilt may also have been produced there.

The blade is straight and single edged, with a reinforced point and set of three deep fullers at the centre. It is worn and re-polished after a period of corrosion. The H-shaped hilt is of heavy silver gilt, with a double baluster-shaped grip, and a dome and bud-shaped reinforce extending over the blade with a rivet at the centre of a flower. The hilt is chiselled with scrolling foliage and lotus buds in bright silver on a gilded stippled ground.

11

A Punch dagger (katar) Circa 1760

Indian, probably Rajasthan Steel, gold, wood, textile Length 14 ž in / 37.5 cm, blade 7 ž in / 20 cm

Provenance Private collection, United Kingdom

Punch daggers of this general type are ubiquitous and notoriously difficult to ascribe to a particular centre. Our example is close to several others including an unpublished example from the Seager bequest to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (no. 26.35.5); both share the unusual chiselled bud at the junction of the blade and hilt. However the rare surviving scabbard is almost identical to that of Royal Armouries no. XXVID.146, which is dated 1759/60 (1173 AH, Richardson & Bennett 2015, 29), though its owner, Nawab Muhammad Samast Khan Bahadur has not been identified.

The blade is straight and double edged, with a reinforced point and a broad shallow fuller plain but of watered steel, the edges being bright. It is made in one with the H-shaped hilt which has a double bulbous grip at the centre, and long, straight arms. The hilt is decorated overall with floral scrolls in gold koftgari. At the centre of the junction of the hilt and blade is a small triple bud within a foliate border. The scabbard is of wood covered with green silk velvet, retaining its original silver wire tape suspension loop fitted with a fretted quatrefoil buckle of iron decorated with gold koftgari, and with a short chape also of iron decorated with a lotus flower amid foliage in gold koftgari

References T. Richardson and N. Bennett, Indian Arms and Armour, Leeds, 2015

12 A Sword (talwar) 18th – 19th century

Indian, probably Delhi Steel, gold. 34 inches/86.5cm Length 34 in / 86 cm, blade 29 ¼ in / 74.5 cm

Provenance Private collection, United Kingdom

The talwar was an indigenous Indian sword adopted by the Mughals and used by cavalry and infantry across the whole of north and central India. It is distinguished from the Iranian shamshīr by its characteristic ‘Indo-Muslim’ hilt, with its disc pommel. Closely comparable hilts with grips and quillons of this precise type include a group associated with Mewar in a private collection (Nordlunde 2016, 203–12), one with a hilt dated 1888 owned by Thakur Rawat Singh of Patodi near Jodhpur in Rajasthan (Elgood 2017, 480–1) and several in the Royal Armouries nos XXVIS.98, 318 and 205, the latter possibly belonging to the Nizam Muzaffar Jang of Hyderabad (r. 1750/1) (the first Richardson & Bennett 2015, 22). The blade is older than the hilt.

Earlier swords in this style, associated with the Mughal court in the seventeenth century, were often fitted with European blades, and the later Indianmade blades followed the same form, with a ricasso at the forte.

The blade is curved, single edged and hollow ground, with a ricasso at the forte. It is of watered steel, of a beautiful undulating pattern now scarcely visible. It is stamped with an illegible maker’s mark in Urdu at the ricasso. The hilt is of Indo-Muslim type, of iron, the grip and quillon block formed of a single piece with short, thin quillons with slightly domed terminals, flat-ended langets and a slightly angular bulbous grip. The pommel is in the form of a very slightly hollow disc, with a low dome and bud finial above. The whole is decorated in gold koftgari with a foliate diaper and flowers.

References

T. Richardson and N. Bennett, Indian Arms and Armour, Leeds, 2015; J. Nordlunde, A Passion for Indian Arms, London/Copenhagen, 2016; R. Elgood, Rajput Arms & Armour, the Rathores & their armoury at Jodhpur Fort, Jodhpur, 2017

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A Sword with scabbard (shamshir) 19th century Hilt and scabbard Indian, probably Lucknow. Blade Persian Steel, silver and enamel Length 37 in /94 cm, blade 31 ¾ in / 80.5 cm

Provenance Private collection, United Kingdom

This sword incorporates an imported Persian blade and a hilt of shamshīr form, but entirely of Indian taste, decorated with the enamels associated most closely with Lucknow, capital of the Mughal province of Oudh (Awadh, in the modern state of Uttar Pradesh). Centres such as Jaipur and Hyderabad in Sindh also made enamels, and probably many other schools which remain to be identified. Such swords were popular in north India in the nineteenth century, especially at the court of the Talpur dynasty of Sindh. The makara is a creature of Hindu mythology, a hybrid of the gharial and the elephant.

These frequently feature in the decoration of north Indian bangles, compare the Jaipur enamel bracelet with makara terminals in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, no. 32.20. They frequently adorn the spouts of north Indian powder flasks, but are rarely found on sword hilts of the region.

Likewise, the decoration of the entire hilt with enamel is less common than the combination of enamel pommel and quillons with a grip of ivory, compare an example with ram’s head pommel and quillons from the Gibson bequest, Royal Armouries no. XXVIS.202: only three such swords with makara heads are known, all in private collections (one Jorge Caravana collection, Tirri 2003, 284, fig. 206, one in Hales 2013, 169, no. 414).

The watered steel blade is curved and single edged. The hilt is of silver, cast with short quillons terminating in makara heads, short, wide langets terminating in fleurons, a bulbous grip and pommel also terminating in a makara head. The whole is covered with flowers and foliage in dark blue, turquoise green and orange enamel. The scabbard is of wood covered with its original green velvet, formed with a ridge for the baldric just below the throat, and with a matching enamelled chape.

References T. Richardson and N. Bennett, Indian Arms and Armour, Leeds, 2015; A.C. Tirri, Islamic Weapons, Maghrib to Moghul, Miami, 2003; R. Hales, Islamic and Oriental Arms and Armour, a lifetime’s passion, London, 2013

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A Sword with scabbard (shamshir) Early 19th century Indian, probably Lucknow Steel, gilding, silver, enamel, wood, leather, textile Length 38 ¾ in /98 cm, blade 30 ½ in / 77.5 cm

Provenance Private collection, United Kingdom

Several swords of this exact type are known. One, in the Wallace Collection (no. OA1408, Norman, 1982, 12, fig. 3), has an inscription on its back edge of the Nawab of Awadh and Grand Vizier of the Mughal Empire, Shuja ad-Daula (r. 1754–75), victor at the Third Battle of Panipat over the Marathas in 1761.

Another closely comparable example, presented by the Marquis of Hastings to Captain Hugh Caldwell in 1819, forms part of the Stone bequest to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (no.

36.25.1302, Alexander 2016, 190–1, no. 73). Another example is from the collection of Beriah Botfield at Norton Hall in the Royal Armouries (no. XXVIS.7, Richardson & Bennett 2015, 59). Examples with other animal heads are known, such as the lion-headed sword in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (no.

36.25.1304). The enamel is of the style usually associated with Lucknow, though the craft was practised in many other centres in north India. The blue birds with red heads which form part of the decoration resemble the Indian roller (Coarcias benghalensis) with its characteristic Prussian blue plumage and pink head.

The watered steel blade is deeply curved and single edged. The forte was originally gilded overall, and substantial traces remain, and the blade is generally discoloured and pitted. The hilt is of pistol grip form, comprising a silver quillon block with short, narrow langets and short quillons terminating in rams’ heads, grips of elephant ivory secured by brass rivets, a pommel also cast in the form of a rams head and silver bands covering the join of the grip panels. All the silver elements are decorated in enamel in blue, green orange and red on a plain silver ground, the top band with red-headed blue birds in green foliage with fruit, the bottom band with a plain geometrical diaper. The scabbard is of green-stained leather tooled with gold, and fitted with two enamelled silver mounts for suspension loops and a mall chape.

References

D. Alexander, Islamic Arms and Armor in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 2015; T. Richardson and N. Bennett, Indian Arms and Armour, Leeds, 2015

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A Helmet and arm defences (tōp and dastana) Early 19th century Indian, Rajasthan Steel, brass and gold Helmet 21 ¾ in / 55 cm x 7 ¾ / 19.5 cm dastana 12 in / 30 cm x 4 in / 10 cm Provenance Private collection, Italy

With the change in warfare in north India towards a European model in the late eighteenth century, focused on formed infantry discharging volleys from flintlock muskets, armour was transformed from a battlefield necessity to parade use. Armours of this ceremonial type comprised plate helmets, arm defences and sets of ‘four mirrors’ (chahar a’ineh), together with mail shirts (zereh bagtar) and trousers (pajama zereh) also of butted mail. Compare Royal Armouries xxvia.8, acquired by the Tower armoury before 1859 from north India (Robinson 1967, pl. xvi) and XXVIA.6, from Lahore but of the type used widely around the north of the sub-continent; there is evidence in the case of the armours used in Lahore that they were made in Rajasthan (Richardson & Bennett 2014, 2015, 41). A tōp in Metropolitan Museum of Art nos 02.5.6, from the gift of B. Osgood Field in 1902, is particularly closely comparable. The missing plumes or khalgi were originally of heron feathers, compare the latter helmet where the original plumes survive.

References T. Richardson and N. Bennett ‘The East India Company Gift to the Tower in 1851’, in T. Richardson (ed.), East Meets West, Leeds, 2014, 112-138; T. Richardson and N. Bennett, Indian Arms and Armour, Leeds, 2015; H. R. Robinson, Oriental armour, London, 1967

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A Helmet (kolāh khud) 18th century

Persian, probably Zand dynasty Steel, brass, gold, silver 25 in / 63.5 cm x 8 in / 20 cm

Provenance Private collection, United Kingdom

Under the Zands, successors to the Safavid dynasty of Iran, armour of high quality continue to be made for ceremonial purposes, though it rapidly disappeared from the battlefield in the face of modern firearms technology. Armourers concentrated on decoration of their work, and achieved superb works of art. Helmets of this type were made as part of a set comprising arm defences (bazuband), four-mirror cuirasses (chahar ‘aineh) and shields (separ). For other helmets of this period, compare Royal Armouries no. XXVIA.163, dated 1786/7 (Richardson 2016, 82–3), British Museum no.

1879.1230.772 from the Henderson bequestand Metropolitan Museum of Art nos 02.5.5 and 7, from the gift of B. Osgood Field in 1902.

The skull of the helmet is formed of one piece into a deep dome, surmounted at the apex by a tall pointed finial. At the front is a nasal defence attached by a threaded bracket and screw for adjustment. The nasal is a curved rectangular bar expanded into onionshaped finials at the top and bottom. At either side of the front of the skull is a short plume holder. The nasal, plume holders and finial are decorated with foliate scrolls in gold koftgari, and narrow bands of the same run up the sides of the skull to the finial.

Around the base of the skull are chiselled verses from the Shahnama of Ferdowsi, the end of the combat between the heroes Rostam and Esfandiyar: ‫ ﺑﻮد‬/ ‫ ﮐﮫ ﺳﯿﻤﺮغ ﻓﺮﻣﻮده‬/

... ‫ ﮐﻤﺎن راﻧﺪ‬... /‫ اﻧﺪر‬...(‫ﭼﻮ رﺳﺘﻢ )؟‬

‫ ﺷﺪ ﺟﮭﺎن ﭘﯿﺶ آن ﻧﺎﻣﺪار‬/ ‫ﺳﯿﮫ‬

‫ اﺳﻔﻨﺪﯾﺎر‬/ ‫ﺑﺰد ﺗﯿﺮ ]ﺑﺮ[ ﭼﺸﻢ‬ ‫ی ﺳﺮو و ﺳﮭﯽ‬/‫ﺧﻢ آورد ﺑﺎﻻ‬

‘Then Rostam quickly fitted to his bow the tamarisk-shaft as the Sīmurgh had bidden; he struck Esfandiyār full in the eyes, and all the world grew dark before that chief’ (Ferdowsi, Shahnameh V.1712, Watson & Watson 1910, iv. 243–4) These alternate with medallions chiselled with deer.

The skull retains its original padded lining covered in red cotton. To the base of the skull is attached an aventail of butted mail with a fringe for the eyes at the front, falling to six points at the sides and rear. The mail is all of butted iron links, with a number of restored links in brass wire.

References T. Richardson, Islamic Arms and Armour, Leeds, 2015; A. G. Warner & E. Warner, The Shahnama of Firdausi, London, 1910

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A Helmet (kolāh khud) 19th century Iran, Qajar dynasty Steel, brass, gold, silver, textile 25.5 in / 64.5 cm x 8 in / 20 cm Provenance Private collection, United States

The ‘devil’s mask’ helmet, as it is commonly known, was characteristic of the Qajar dynasty in Iran. These formed part of parade armours and stand alongside other branches of Qajar metalwork as works of art in their own right. Numerous comparable examples survive, including Royal Armouries no. XXVIA.67 (Richardson 2015, 84), Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York no. 48.92.2.

The skull of the helmet is formed of one piece into a deep dome, surmounted at the apex by a tall pointed finial. The front of the skull is embossed with a nose and eyes, above which are riveted a pair of curved horns. At the front is a nasal defence attached by a threaded bracket and screw for adjustment. The nasal is a curved rectangular bar expanded into lobed finials at the top and bottom. At either side of the front of the skull is a short plume holder. The skull is chiselled

in medallions around its lower edge with scenes of lions hunting deer, birds, rabbits, and hunters shooting bows from horseback, the embossed face with whiskers and eyebrows. The nasal is chiselled with a bird at either end, a band of zigzag ornament running up the centre, and the horns with lobed medallions containing flowers. All components are decorated with silver and gold koftgari forming borders and decorative curlicues. The skull retains its original padded lining covered in red cotton. To the base of the skull is attached an aventail of butted mail with a fringe for the eyes at the front, falling to six points at the sides and rear. The mail is all of butted iron links, with a number of restored links in brass wire.

References T. Richardson, Islamic Arms and Armour, Leeds, 2015

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A Dagger (Tanto ) Edo Period circa 1750

Japan.

Steel, gold, silver, wood, lacquer, shagreen, abalone sheel 16 in / 41 cm

Provenance Private collection, United States

This tanto is decorated as an aiguchi (‘meeting mouths’) as there is no tsuba to separate the mouths of the hilt and scabbard. The hilt is covered in plain white same, or shagreen, and fitted with a fuchi and kashira of silver, chiselled with waves and inlaid with chidori also in silver; some birds retain their original gilding.

Concealing the holes in the kashira, are stylised silver butterflies which may be a family mon. Fastened to the hilt are prominent menuki in shakudo and a gilding of sambaso dancers with their characteristic hats, fans and rattles. These religious dances, which date back to the 9th century, were performed to appease the gods and prevent earthquakes.

The scabbard is covered in lacquer sprinkled with flecks of green abalone shell over which is a diagonal lattice of black lacquer. An elaborate sageo or fastening cord decorates the dagger in two shades of blue silk.

The shape of this blade is described as unokubi; the medial ridge turns up to meet the back before the point and there are grooves above the habaki. The

smith greatly exaggerated the thickness of the blade and the size of the grooves to create a yoroi dosh (鎧通 ) or ‘armour piercing blade.’ This type of weapon, Sato argues in The Japanese sword, (by Kanzan Satō, Kodansha International, 1983) was first made during the Sengoku period. Because it was often worn behind the left hip and drawn with the left hand, it was sometimes referred to as metezashi (馬手差?) or ‘Rein−hand blade;’ the present example dates from the Edo period and its blade is fitted with a gold foil covered habaki.

The tang bears the two character signature 国吉, Kuniyoshi. It was customary for shoguns to gift daggers inscribed with signatures taken from a selected list of famous smiths published in the book Sôgo-ôzô-shi (宗 吾大艸紙). Awataguchi Kuniyoshi was one such smith. Warriors understood that these blades were not necessarily crafted by the named smith − the signature was entirely symbolic.