This item has been added to the Database within the Explore Islamic Art Collections project. Information is available in: English, Arabic.

Name of Object:

Sword and scabbard

Location:

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Holding Museum:

Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia

About Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur

Date of Object:

Hegira 12th century / AD 18th century

Museum Inventory Number:

2016.10.23

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Watered-steel (Kara-Khorasan) blade with the hilt set with horn grips with silver rivets, leather-covered wood scabbard with gilt mounts and two hooks for hanging

Dimensions:

90cm

Period / Dynasty:

Ottoman

Provenance:

Turkey

Description:

The Ottoman sword is made by one of the master sword smiths of the late 18th and early 19th century, Ahmad al-Khurasani. He served under the Ottoman royal patronage at the sword smiths’ guild “the simsirgeran” together with renowned masters such as Acem Oglu, Ismail al-Farghani, Osman ibn Haji Muhammad and Qara Sabar al-Erserumi. All share similar elements and standard decorations of typical Ottoman swords produced in the 18th and 19th centuries. This style highlights the curved blade with chiselled and gilded foliage on a recess and kufic inscription arranged along the blade. The hilt takes the shape of a pistol grip made of horn and the wooden scabbard mounted with gilded sheets. The blade has been inscribed with Qur’anic verses and signed with the maker’s name in square kufic panel.

Selected bibliography:

Alexander, David G., Islamic Arms and Armor in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New Haven: Yale University Press, 2015.

Citation of this web page:

 "Sword and scabbard" in Explore Islamic Art Collections. Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;EPM;my;Mus21;1;en

MWNF Working Number: MY1 01