A HIGHLY ORNATE EUROPEAN DRESS SABRE IN THE EASTERN TASTE
Lot 171

A HIGHLY ORNATE EUROPEAN DRESS SABRE IN THE EASTERN TASTE

SECOND QUARTER 19TH CENTURY

Closed30 September 2014

Price Realised

GBP 8,750

More Information

How to sell

A HIGHLY ORNATE EUROPEAN DRESS SABRE IN THE EASTERN TASTE
SECOND QUARTER 19TH CENTURY
With fine etched watered steel blade with imitation 'Muhammad's ladder' pattern and decorated in low relief on each side with gilt Eastern trophies of arms, a moon and stars, and two invocations from the Qur'an, the back-edge with etched and gilt running foliage, elaborate gilt hilt in the form of entwined eagles heightened with semi-precious stones and small turquoises, in silver-gilt scabbard with foliate cast and chased locket, suspension-ring bands and chape, the scabbard with later engraved coat of arms and motto of Hastings and the inscription 'Presented to Warren Hastings, Esq.re / Governor General of Bengal on the 25th of February 1773, / by his Esteemed Friend Sir Eyre Coote'
31 in. (78.2 cm.) blade
The invocations on the blade are respectively from the Sura al-saff (Qur'an LXI, v.13) Help from Allah and near victory, and the Sura al-fath (Qur'an XLVIII, v.1) We have given thee (O Muhammad) a signal victory; the scabbard is struck beneath the locket with a Belgian silver standard mark