An Exceptional Sabre Presented to Claude Martin by Nawab Asaf Al-Dawla of Awadh (R.1775-97), India, Lucknow, late 18th Century
Auction Closed
April 29, 12:32 PM GMT
Estimate
300,000 - 500,000 GBP
Lot Details
Description
the fine watered steel blade with pronounced ‘Muhammad’s ladder’ pattern, overlaid gold inscription at the forte commemorating the gift of the sword by Asaf al-Dawla to Claude Martin, the light green jade hilt with inlaid gold floral pattern by the guard and hilt, kundan-set with cabochon rubies and emeralds, with small gold suspension loop, the wooden scabbard covered with dark red velvet and gold thread, together with a Claude Martin silver award medal (unnamed) of the École des Sciences et Arts Industriel de Lyon, 51mm (R.P. Puddester, Medals of British India (2002), 836.3.2)
99cm
Major-General Claude Martin (1735-1800)
Nasli Heeramaneck (1902-1971), New York
Sotheby's, New York, Indian, Tibetan, Nepalese, Thai, Khmer and Javanese Art including Indian Miniatures, 20-21 September 1985, lot 590
Philippe Missillier Collection no.176C
India's Fabled City: The Art of Courtly Lucknow, LACMA, 12 December-27 February 2011;
Musée national des Arts asiatiques-Guimet, Paris, 6 April-11 July, 2011
H. Ricketts and P. Missillier, Splendeur des Armes Orientales, Paris: Acte-Expo, 1988, p.133, no.231
Stephen Markel and Tushara Bindu Gude, India's Fabled City: The Art of Courtly Lucknow, Los Angeles: LACMA, 2010, pp.221, 257, cat.112
Michael C. Spink, The Indian Gem-set Sword of Major-General Claude Martin, LiCa Art Publications, 2020
inscriptions
bi-hukm sarkar ‘ali jah nawab asaf al-dawla waliyye awadh
janral martin sahib ‘East India Company’ ata-i farma-yi sana 1201 hijriyya
‘At the order of His Excellency Nawab Asaf al-Dawla, governor of Awadh
Gifted to General Sir Martin of the East India Company, the Hijri year 1201 (1786-87 AD)’
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