Sword and Sheath
c. 1775-1800 (made)
| Place of origin |
Swords with hilts of this form are particularly associated with the Indian province of Awadh in the late 18th century. They are characterised by their animal-head terminals which may be rams, as here, birds, camels or mythical beasts. They are usually of enamelled silver, though sometimes simply chased and engraved. The association with Awadh derives from a sword in the Wallace Collection with comparable hilt bearing the name of Shuja ad-daula, Nawab-Vizir of Awadh from 1753-1775 and from the many weapons taken at the siege of Lucknow, then capital of the province, in 1858.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | hilt silver, polychrome enamelled, the blade steel |
| Brief description | The blade of the sword has a continuous curved single edge, tapering to a slender point. The silver hilt is decorated with animal heads. The pommel end and quillon terminals are chiselled in the form of rams' heads and decorated with blue and green enamel. The scabbard is covered with tooled gilt leather; the mounts and sword belt mounts are en suite with the sword hilt Arms, steel silver, enamelled, N India, Lucknow, first half of 19th century |
| Physical description | Sword and scabbard |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label |
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| Object history | As originally arranged and displayed in Exhibition Road Indian Museum galleries until 1955, with some additions while in storage, case F.716 Accession register: Scimitar. Curved watered steel blade, with handle and guard of silver terminating in rams’ heads and ornamented with translucent enamels. The scabbard is covered with stamped and gilt leather, with mounts of enamelled silver, and is furnished with belt and slings of gold lace with clasps and slides also fo enamelled silver. India. L. 3’ Bought 9 l. |
| Summary | Swords with hilts of this form are particularly associated with the Indian province of Awadh in the late 18th century. They are characterised by their animal-head terminals which may be rams, as here, birds, camels or mythical beasts. They are usually of enamelled silver, though sometimes simply chased and engraved. The association with Awadh derives from a sword in the Wallace Collection with comparable hilt bearing the name of Shuja ad-daula, Nawab-Vizir of Awadh from 1753-1775 and from the many weapons taken at the siege of Lucknow, then capital of the province, in 1858. |
| 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. 433, , Susan Stronge |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 300-1876 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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