A fine Mughal dagger (khanjar) with carved jade hilt in the form of a nilgai, North West India, 17th century

the hilt made from two blocks of pale green nephrite jade carved and abraded in the form of the head of a young nilgai, the scrolled quillons with acanthus leaves in relief and a large central lotus blossom at the base of the grip, the curved double-edged watered steel blade with medial ridge, modern metal stand with fitted armature

small nibbles to the ears and horns, overall in very good condition, as viewed
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Daggers with jade animal hilts were reserved for individuals of the highest rank and status at the Mughal court. The present example pays eloquent tribute to a culture that gave primacy to technical excellence and empirical observation. Expressive in its subject-matter and refined in its execution, this sculptural tour de force captures the essence of royal taste and high fashion in 17th century India.

The Indian tradition of working blocks of hardstone into beautiful, elegant and functional objects dates back to pre-Islamic times. During the Roman period Cambay in western India was a centre for exporting agate vessels and other hardstone artefacts to the West. The use of jade however only became evident during the Mughal period, reaching its artistic zenith during the 17th century under the patronage of the Mughal emperors Jahangir (r.1605-27) and Shah Jahan (r.1628-57). The Mughal court chronicler and historian Abu'l Fazl records that Jahangir's father, the emperor Akbar (r.1556-1605), received a merchant at court by the name of Khwaja Mu'in who had the right to the jade stores in the bed of the river Kashgar. Nephrite jade was primarily found in the rivers of the Kunlun Mountains near Khotan and Kashgar in China's Xinjiang province, an area that came under Timurid control in the late fourteenth century.

The emperor Jahangir (r.1605-27), who was keen to emulate his Timurid ancestors, owned several Timurid artefacts, including a number of antique jade vessels that formed part of his personal collection. Jahangir had some of these prized vessels engraved with his signature, including a jug in the British Museum dated 1624 and a white nephrite jade jug in the Fundaçāo Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, (inv. no.328) inscribed to the 15th century ruler of Samarqand, Ulugh Beg, with subsequent inscriptions recording its possession by Jahangir (1613) and Shah Jahan (1646) (London 1976, p.129, no.114).  

The Mughal emperors not only coveted antique jades but also commissioned them from their own private workshops for personal use. William Hawkins, an English merchant who was invited to Jahangir's court, lists the presence of a large amount of uncut stone, including 55llb of uncut jade, and goes on to give an account of the carved jades and other treasures he encountered: "drinking cuppes five hundred, but fiftie very rich, that is to say, made of one piece of ballace ruby [spinel], and also of emerods [emeralds], of eshim [yashm: Persian for jade]... and of other sorts of stones" (Stronge 1994, p.7).

Mughal jades, once carved and polished into shape, were typically inlaid with kundan gold and set with gems or hardstones, but in the seventeenth century the fashion was to leave animal and other naturalistic forms relatively unadorned, as seen in the present example. The French physician François Bernier encountered jade carving on his travels through the sub-continent and mentions it in a letter written in 1665: "The jade stone presented upon this occasion was of an extraordinary size and therefore very precious. Jachen (yashm) is in great estimation in the court of the Mogol: its colour is greenish, with white veins, and it is so hard as to wrought only with diamond powder. Cups and vases are made of this stone. I have some of most exquisite workmanship, inlaid with strings of gold and enriched with precious stones" (Constable 1891, pp.422-3).

Amongst the most personal objects in the possession of a Mughal prince or courtier was his "parade" or "dress" dagger. By Jahangir's reign, edged weapons were no longer used exclusively for warfare: they had become great works of art in their own right, being decorated with enamels, precious metals and stones. Mughal princes, nobles and high officials were honoured regularly by the emperor with jewelled daggers, which were worn like luxury Swiss watches are worn today, as symbols of the wearer's status and wealth. These accoutrements were both private possessions and public statements: sported by an individual, to be seen, judged and admired by all.  Cary Welch's close study of courtly figures in the Windsor Castle Padshahnama reveals that the small number of daggers with animal hilts were reserved for the use of princes and senior dignitaries (Welch 1985, pp.257-258; and for illustrations see Beach and Koch 1997, p.40, folio 71 recto, and p.57, folio 116 verso). In the miniature Shah Jahan receiving an embassy of Europeans (folio 116 verso), the emperor's sons, Dara Shikoh and Shah Shuja, are seen wearing daggers with nilgai hilts (Ibid., p.56-7).

The Mughal fashion for animal motifs is a direct reflection of the personal tastes of the imperial family. Both Jahangir and his son Shah Jahan, like their forebear Babur (r.1526-1530) the founder of the dynasty, showed an acute sensitivity towards nature and encouraged their artists to record all aspects of the natural world in precise detail through first-hand study.  In his memoirs Jahangir refers repeatedly to indigenous birds, plants and animals, reflecting upon their habits, habitat and appearance. For instance, his enthusiastic first impressions of an ibex: "It is really a remarkably good-looking animal. Although the black antelope of Hindustan is very fine-looking, this one is something else altogether." (Thackston 1999, p.83). It is interesting to note the similarities between the nilgai on this dagger and those in the borders of lot 105.

The naturalistic component of Mughal art finds glorious expression in jade dagger hilts. The present head relates stylistically to a dagger with a hilt of nilgai form in The Metropolitan Museum of Art (see Welch 1985, p.259, no.168) and another published in Paris 1988, p.98, no.160. Both the published examples are of dark spinach green jade; all three date to the 17th century and are distinguished by their lively naturalism. Even the smallest details are treated with the utmost sensitivity whilst the expressive features of the face invite comparison with the great contemporary animal artist Mansur whose vivid portraits of animals and birds earned him the sobriquet Nadir al-Asr, "Wonder of the Age."