Arts of the Islamic World & India

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 151. 'Peerless', a Safavid sword dedicated to Shah Sultan Husayn I (r.1694-1722), the blade signed ‘Asadullah Isfahani, Persia, dated 1114 AH/1702-03 AD, the hilt, India, 18th century.

'Peerless', a Safavid sword dedicated to Shah Sultan Husayn I (r.1694-1722), the blade signed ‘Asadullah Isfahani, Persia, dated 1114 AH/1702-03 AD, the hilt, India, 18th century

Margin Scheme

Auction Closed

October 23, 01:24 PM GMT

Estimate

30,000 - 50,000 GBP

Lot Details

Description

the curved watered steel blade inlaid with gold inscriptive cartouches in nasta’liq, the spine with similar inscriptions in nasta’liq, a channel with 6 alternating steel and brass running beads through the length of the blade, the hilt with baluster grip, broad cross-guard and disc pommel, decorated in koftgari with flowers and vines, with green leather covered wood scabbard, with chape ensuite with hilt

94cm. length

Please note that there may be restrictions on the import of property of Iranian origin into the USA and some or all member countries of the Gulf Co-operation Council. Any buyers planning to import property of Iranian origin into any of these countries should satisfy themselves of the relevant import regime. Sotheby's will not assist buyers with the shipment of such items into the USA or the GCC. In addition, FedEx and US courier services will no longer carry Iranian-origin goods to any location. Any shipment services would need to be provided by a Fine Art shipping company.

Ex-private collection, Ireland; acquired at Sotheby's, 1960s

inscriptions

On the blade:‘amal-e asadullah isfahani, ‘The work of Asadullah Isfahani’

Ghulam-e ‘ali shah sultan husayn 1114, ‘The servant of (Imam) ‘Ali, Shah Sultan Husayn 1114 (1702-03)’

On the edge: The nadi ‘ali quatrain, followed by ismuhu bi-nazir, ‘Its name is Peerless’

A certain amount of mystery surrounds the name of Asadullah, since while it may have represented a single person, it might also have been a title given to Iranian swordsmiths who had attained a particular level of mastery. Literally, Asadullah means 'Lion of God', and is one of the titles given to Imam 'Ali. M. Keyvani notes a story told by Chardin (descended through the oral tradition of the Isfahan bazaar) in which Shah 'Abbas I was gifted a helmet by the Ottoman Sultan and offered a sum of money to anyone who could break it with a sword. Only Asadullah (also known as 'Ustad Asad') managed to do so (cited in Allan and Gilmour 2000, p.102).

The present blade displays a remarkably high quality of execution. A channel has been set throughout the length of the blade for six alternating running beads in brass and steel but, notably, the channel begins on side of the blade but switches to continue on the other side. This remarkable feat of craftsmanship lends a sense of vivacity to the blade as it is moved. The finely worked inscriptions in gold nasta’liq further attest to a swordsmith of a strikingly high level of mastery and it is unsurprising that a sword of this quality bears a royal dedication to the Safavid ruler Shah Sultan Husayn (r.1694-1722).