Persia
Sabre eighteenth century
Steel, silver, gold | 86.0 cm (blade length) | RCIN 67460
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A stirrup-hilted sabre; with British steel hilt of the 1796 pattern for Officers of the Light Cavalry, the grip bound with silver wire. Curved one-edged Persian watered steel shamshir blade. Gold inlaid near the hilt with a pointed apse, a scalloped edge and an Arabic inscription with talismanic square (bedouh).
The bedouh is a square divided quarterly, each quarter charged with an even number. Odd numbers would be considered to be unlucky.
Provenance
This is possibly no. 52 in the Armoury at Carlton House, which was purchased by George IV from Knubley & Co. The inventory records that it had a 'Black Scabbard deep Steel Chape fluted', and was said to have been 'worn by His Royal Highness'.
Sent to Windsor Castle on 23 July 1842, where it was possibly displayed in the North Corridor at no. 1673. -
Creator(s)
(nationality)Acquirer(s)
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Medium and techniques
Steel, silver, gold
Measurements
86.0 cm (blade length)
97.0 cm (whole object)
Category
Object type(s)
Place of Production
Iran
