9th Sep, 2026 11:00
Fine Antique Arms and Armour from the Philippe Missillier Collection
19
AN OTTOMAN EBONY-HILTED DAGGER, PROBABLY TURKEY, 18TH CENTURY
with curved double-edged blade cut over most of its length on both sides with a pair of slender fullers converging at the point of diamond section, waisted hilt (pommel with old chips) of ovoidal section cut over both sides with slender fluting centred on an oval ridge, in its black leather-covered wooden scabbard tooled on the outside to resemble a locket and a chape, the latter with bud-shaped terminal, 25.5 cm blade
Provenance
Philippe Missillier Collection, no. 102C
This dagger is one of a small group of weapons on which ebony is the dominant material. A dagger with a fluted ebony hilt in the same form as this example was recently exhibited at the Veste Coburg Collection. The dagger and scabbard retain their silver mounts which bear a tughra stamp in the name of Mahmud I (r. 1730-1754), leading to the dating in a recent catalogue of 1730-1740 (Holstein 1931, pl.LXXIV, no. 126, Augustin and Pilz 2024, pp. 298-299, no. 95). Another dagger with an ebony hilt decorated with fluting, dating from earlier in the 18th century, was exhibited at the same time (Augustin and Pilz 2024, p. 298, no. 94). Bernd Augustin notes that the key piece for dating these ebony-hilted daggers is a rifle in the Rüstkammer, Staatlche Kunstsammlumg, Dresden, with a fluted ebony stock having silver mounts with the tughra of Ahmed III (r. 1703-1730). The rifle was presented to Augustus the Strong (1670-1733) and entered the Dresden arsenal in 1717 (inv. no. G 1126, Schuckelt 2010, pp. 236, 237, 280, no. 260).
Sold for £2,000
with curved double-edged blade cut over most of its length on both sides with a pair of slender fullers converging at the point of diamond section, waisted hilt (pommel with old chips) of ovoidal section cut over both sides with slender fluting centred on an oval ridge, in its black leather-covered wooden scabbard tooled on the outside to resemble a locket and a chape, the latter with bud-shaped terminal, 25.5 cm blade
Provenance
Philippe Missillier Collection, no. 102C
This dagger is one of a small group of weapons on which ebony is the dominant material. A dagger with a fluted ebony hilt in the same form as this example was recently exhibited at the Veste Coburg Collection. The dagger and scabbard retain their silver mounts which bear a tughra stamp in the name of Mahmud I (r. 1730-1754), leading to the dating in a recent catalogue of 1730-1740 (Holstein 1931, pl.LXXIV, no. 126, Augustin and Pilz 2024, pp. 298-299, no. 95). Another dagger with an ebony hilt decorated with fluting, dating from earlier in the 18th century, was exhibited at the same time (Augustin and Pilz 2024, p. 298, no. 94). Bernd Augustin notes that the key piece for dating these ebony-hilted daggers is a rifle in the Rüstkammer, Staatlche Kunstsammlumg, Dresden, with a fluted ebony stock having silver mounts with the tughra of Ahmed III (r. 1703-1730). The rifle was presented to Augustus the Strong (1670-1733) and entered the Dresden arsenal in 1717 (inv. no. G 1126, Schuckelt 2010, pp. 236, 237, 280, no. 260).
Auction: Fine Antique Arms and Armour from the Philippe Missillier Collection, 9th Sep, 2026
Over a period of half a century, Philippe became one of the leading connoisseurs and independent scholars in the field of antique arms and armour from Europe, India and the Islamic world. Consulted by the world’s leading museums and collectors, Philippe possessed a remarkable eye for quality and rarity which is reflected in the objects offered in this sale.
His company was enjoyed at countless exhibitions and sales around the world, where he would greet colleagues with a hummed fanfare, invariably followed by a profound observation imbued with wit and scholarship in equal measure. Philippe belonged to a generation that truly mastered its subject, visiting every museum and attending as many auctions as he could while simultaneously assembling an important library.
A number of the pieces offered here were published in ‘Splendeur des Armes Orientales’, a landmark exhibition catalogue co-authored in collaboration with Howard Ricketts in 1988, and remains a standard reference today. Philippe wore his immense knowledge lightly, balancing academic rigour with good humour, listening generously to the opinions of colleagues, and invariably raising a smile.
Viewing
PUBLIC EXHIBITION:
Sunday 6th September June: 12pm - 4pm
Monday 7th September: 10am - 7pm (Drinks 6-7pm)
Tuesday 8th September: 10am - 5pm
CONTACT:
For further information please contact us | armsandarmour@olympiaauctions.com | + 44 (0) 20 7806 5541
