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Sword and Sheath

late 19th century (made)
Place of origin

The watered steel blade of this sword is inscribed with the name of Shah Safi, who ruled between 1629 and 1642. The sword later belonged to Amir Shir Ali, ruler of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1879, who presented it to the British colonial administration in India.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Sword
  • Shamshir
  • Sheath
Brief description
Sword of Shah Safi, Iran, 1629-42.
Marks and inscriptions
  • Transliteration
Gallery label
(2006)
Jameel Gallery

Sword of Shah Safi
Iran
1629–42

The watered steel blade of this sword is inscribed with the name of Shah Safi, who ruled between 1629 and 1642. The sword later belonged to Amir Shir Ali, ruler of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1879, who presented it to the British colonial administration in India.

Watered steel and gold; walrus ivory, repaired with metal wire
Museum no. 3375(IS)/1
Production
presented by Sher Ali, Amir of Kabul, to the India Office and Transferred to the South Kensington Museum in 1880
Summary
The watered steel blade of this sword is inscribed with the name of Shah Safi, who ruled between 1629 and 1642. The sword later belonged to Amir Shir Ali, ruler of Afghanistan from 1863 to 1879, who presented it to the British colonial administration in India.
Bibliographic references
  • Lord Egerton of Tatton, Indian and Oriental Armour, London, 1896, p. 144, Cat. No. 754
  • Egerton, Wilbraham, An illustrated handbook of Indian arms; being a classified and descriptive catalogue of the arms exhibited at the India museum: with an introductory sketch of the military history of India, London, 1880 p.144
Other numbers
  • 754 - Egerton Catalogue number
  • 11,695 - India Museum Slip Book
  • M.93-1949 - Incorrect number
Collection
Accession number
3375(IS)/1, 2

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Record createdDecember 19, 2002
Record URL
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