ËœA PERSIAN SWORD (SHAMSHIR), THE BLADE DATED 1127 (CIRCA 1715-16)

with curved single-edged blade of wootz steel, decorated with two gold-inlaid cartouches on one face (small losses), russet iron hilt comprising cross-piece with pointed faceted bud-shaped terminals, decorated with a further gold calligraphic cartouche on each face and enriched with gold flowers, and walrus ivory grip-scales (chipped, pommel missing), in its leather-covered wooden scabbard with russet iron mounts decorated with further gold cartouches (chape missing)

81.5 cm; 32 in blade

Provenance On loan to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (1936-2022), inv. no. 54-261 The inscriptions read, in the cartouches on the blade, 'banda-yi shah-i vilayat safi' (Slave of the King of Trusteeship, Safi) and 'amal-i kalb'ali isafahani 1127(?) (Work of Kalb 'Ali Isfahani 1127(?) (1715-16)) and on the scabbard mounts part of the Nadi 'Ali quatrain. The date makes it unlikely that the blade is by Kalb 'Ali Isfahani, the son of the celebrated smith Assadalah Isfahani. See Allan and Gilmour, 2000,pp. 102-105.