Sword and Sheath
19th Century (made)
| Place of origin |
The sword and scabbard were made in Rajasthan, probably in the second half of the 19th century. The hilt of the sword is made of blued steel very finely decorated in gold with flowers, leaves and scenes of the hunt. These include a horseman spearing a wild boar, a man holding a dagger and shield fending off a tiger, an elephant fighting a tiger, and a tiger and wild boar locked in combat. The blade is made of chevrons of watered steel of alternating light and dark tones forged together.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Materials and techniques | Steel with inlaid gold and silver decoration |
| Brief description | Sword and sheath, the hilt of blued steel with inlaid gold decoration; the blade steel watered in a ladder pattern, Rajasthan, 19th century. |
| Physical description | The hilt is blued steel with inlaid gold decoration, the blade is composed of steel chevrons in contrasting colours welded together. The hilt has an elephant head pommel and a knuckle-guard formed by a tiger grappling with the elephant's trunk. The animals have red and green stones as eyes. There is a sun symbol with human features in the elephant's trappings, enclosed within a crescent moon. Below, inlaid in gold, are scenes of the hunt, including a horseman spearing a wild boar, a man holding a dagger and shield fending off a tiger, an elephant fighting a tiger and a tiger and wild boar locked in combat. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | SWORD AND SCABBARD: This hilt of blued steel with inlaid gold decoration, the blade steel watered in a ladder pattern, Rajasthan, 19th century.(Nehru Gallery, 2001) |
| Object history | Found unnumbered in crypt store in 1981. RF 81/2099 |
| Historical context | The hilt of blued steel overlaid with gold and silver is in the form of an elephant's head with a knuckle guard formed from the trunk being savaged by a tiger; the watered steel blade is composed of alternating chevrons of light and dark watered steel. The scabbard of velvet-covered wood with pierced and chased gilt chape. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The sword and scabbard were made in Rajasthan, probably in the second half of the 19th century. The hilt of the sword is made of blued steel very finely decorated in gold with flowers, leaves and scenes of the hunt. These include a horseman spearing a wild boar, a man holding a dagger and shield fending off a tiger, an elephant fighting a tiger, and a tiger and wild boar locked in combat. The blade is made of chevrons of watered steel of alternating light and dark tones forged together. |
| Bibliographic reference | Skelton, Robert, et al, The Indian Heritage. Court life and Arts under Mughal Rule London: The Victoria and Albert Museum, 1982
p. 134, cat. no. 435 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.87&A-1981 |
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| Record created | March 13, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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