Sword and scabbard; Rajput or Mughal, second half of the 17th century

The curved blade with ricasso has a broad back and broadens to the tip. It was polished bright, but the watering was to some extent restored by V&A Metalwork conservator Simon Metcalf on acquisition in 1987. At the forte, 'Ali' is stamped into the metal. On the same side is a gold-inlaid parasol with a gold-inlaid sun to the left, emmediately beneath the handle of the parasol. The sun has curling rays and chased facial features.
The hilt is copper, thickly gild an dengraved all over with floral decoration. A single, long-stemmed flower fills the area between the quillons with another similar flower above, on the grip. The knuckle-guard terminates at the pommel with an animal head. The circular pommel has a lotus-bud knop on a domed base but the lotus bud, unusually, is not pierced for a swivel. The quillons have narrow arms and domes ends.
The scabbard chape has the same decoration as the hilt, chased onto a ground tooled with round-headed punches. The top edge has pierced decoration. At the open end there is a band of gilt coper with palmette borders.

Bought at Wallis and Wallis, Lewes.87/1848

Rajput or Mughal

This sword has a curved blade of watered steel stamped 'Ali' in Arabic script near the hilt on one side. On the same side is an incised parasol, an emblem of royalty, with traces of its original gold inlay. Nearby is a gold inlaid sun with curling rays and human features. The hilt is made of copper, thickly gilt and chased all over with floral decoration. The leather-covered scabbard is original and has matching gilt copper mounts. The parasol indicates a former royal owner and the overall style of the sword suggest this was made somewhere within the Mughal empire in the mid-17th century. It was bought at a UK auction in 1987.

IS.94-1987