OA1387|1|1|The jade hilt is set with diamonds, rubies and emeralds mounted in gold. The fittings of the sheath are equally rich, being of gold, enamelled and jewelled en suite with the hilt. The blade, inlaid with gold, is of the finest watered steel. The overall concept and design demonstrate a high degree of taste, artistry and skill; particularly admirable is the way in which the locket of the sheath is pierced, revealing the decoration of the knife-hilt even when the knife is fully sheathed. It was acquired from the collection of Anatole Demidoff, prince of San Donato in Florence. The entry in his 1870 Paris sale catalogue claims that this piece belonged to Tipu Sultan, but no further evidence supports this.
OA1404|1|1|This magnificent gold-mounted sword has traditionally been considered a personal sword of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ‘Lion of the Punjab’ (1780–1839), based on its description in a 1865 exhibition catalogue. While it is a high-quality and finely decorated sword, there is no further proof of this connection, and it may have been made at any of the North Indian royal courts. The scabbard fittings may be a later addition, and are consistent with an attribution to the court of Lucknow.
OA1409|1|1|The memoirs of the Mughal emperor Jahangir (r. 1605–27) frequently mention the presentation of jewelled daggers as a way of bestowing imperial favour to important courtiers and princes. When Jahangir’s son Khurram returned victorious from central India in 1617, he was given the name Shah Jahan and presented with many gifts, including a jewelled dagger. A portrait by Nadir al-Zaman now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, is thought to depict this ceremony: it shows Shah Jahan in profile, with a peculiar dagger tucked into his belt. The hamsa bird’s head decoration, as well as the knuckle-guard connecting to the gable, are both highly unusual features that allow us to identify the dagger in the painting with this dagger in the Wallace Collection.
OA1414|1|1|The blade on this beautifully moulded and gold-inlaid dagger is a rare surviving example of a group of blades made in the Timurid Empire at the close of the fifteenth century. The decorative pattern on the blade is typical of the manuscript illumination of Herat. The dagger may have been made for Husayn Bayqara, the last Timurid sultan to wield effective political power, or one of his most important courtiers. The dagger’s closest surviving parallels can be found in a group of Turkish swords, the most important of which is in the Topkapı Palace Museum, Istanbul, and is dated 1526–7. It is possible that the craftsmen who made this dagger fled to the Safavid court in Tabriz following the capture of Herat by the Uzbek army in 1507, only to have been taken to Istanbul when the Ottomans occupied Tabriz seven years later.
OA1415|1|1|The hilt of this magnificent Mughal dagger is fashioned from a single piece of rock crystal, inlaid with gold and set with rubies, emeralds and diamonds. The name ‘Claud Martin’ is lightly inscribed on one panel of the stone; Claude Martin was a Frenchman who fought against the British in India, but changed sides following the siege and fall of Pondicherry in 1760–1. He joined the army of the British East India Company as an ensign, working his way up through the ranks to become major-general in charge of the Lucknow Arsenal. He is recorded as having been an enthusiastic collector of princely Indian arms and armour, and this dagger was once his.
OA1420|1|1|This jade-hilted Mughal dagger is carved with a horse’s-head, a flaw in the stone having been cleverly utilised by the maker to delineate the horse’s mane. The grip is further ornamented with inlays of gold set with cabochon rubies and emeralds, while the double-edged blade is of ‘watered’ steel. The scabbard is of wood covered in velvet, with mounts of chased gilt-brass. Although supremely decorative, and of great value even when it was first made, this dagger was also capable of use as a deadly weapon.
OA1430|1|1|This superb dagger was acquired by the 4th Marquess of Hertford at the Paris sale of the duc de Morny. Persian-inspired in form, its hilt is fashioned from dark green agate, the rivet-caps consisting of rubies set in silver-gilt, while the blade is skilfully pierced and inlaid throughout its length with gold. The minutely-executed decoration incorporates couplets of poetry in Persian script. The scabbard mounts are of silver-gilt; like the scabbard itself, they are of Turkish workmanship, but generally much later in date than the rest of the dagger. This weapon is of exceptionally high quality; for example, the decoration of the blade is ‘true’ inlay, whereby the gold was laid into grooves painstakingly cut into the base metal, instead of being simply ‘damascened’ (laid onto a cross-hatched surface and burnished in place).
OA1432|1|1|The hilt is a tour de force of the enameller’s art. Fashioned entirely in gold, the grip is formed as a horse’s head, enamelled in naturalistic colours, while the guard features richly enamelled tigers’ and crocodiles’ heads. The blade, although purporting to be of seventeenth-century European origin, is in fact more likely to have been made in India. Straight, multi-fullered back-edged blades like this one were predominantly a European style but were highly prized in India. There was accordingly an active export trade in them from Europe (where they had become relatively unfashionable by this date) to India. Such was the demand that many blades of this type were copied by local blacksmiths, complete with European-style inscriptions and makers’ marks.
OA1441|1|1|Helmet or kulah khud, composed of an unusually heavy watered steel skull divided into sixteen segments each filled with foliage, flowers, cats, birds and arabesques, all inlaid in gold. Around the base of the skull small cartouches containing gold flower blossoms, again worked in true inlay, are interspersed between the main decorative segments. The sharp cut-off at the brim indicates that it is unfinished. The interior of the bowl shows evidence of having been heated and hammered in the area where an applied brim should be. The four-sided finial spike, a nineteenth-century replacement, has been false-damascened in gold with foliate arabesques. The base of the spike is decorated with sixteen cartouches executed in gold false-damascening.<br><br>Two plume-holders are riveted to the front of the skull, flanking a central nasal. Their bases are trefoil-shaped and decorated with arabesques overlaid in gold. The plume holders also display small tulip-like flowers in gold overlay. The nasal is secured to the skull by means of a screw and bracket, and consists of a bar extending down below the lower edge of the skull and terminating at both ends, in trefoil-shaped plates. The nasal bar is decorated with small cartouches while the terminals are decorated with arabesques overlaid in gold.<br><br>An aventail comprised of butted steel links is connected to the helmet by means of larger mail links. A design of diamonds and horizontal lines has been interwoven into the body of the aventail using yellow copper alloy links. The aventail terminates into dags of varying sizes. Some sections have been made longer and wider than others so that they drape down over the shoulders. A ‘swallow’s tail’ is found at the rear to drape over and protect the back of the neck.<br><br>This helmet probably once had a applied brow band around the base of the skull. Similar helmets are in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (inv. nos. 02.5.5 and 02.5.7).
OA1494|1|1|Kulah Khud or helmet, composed of a watered steel bowl with a riveted iron brim. At the four ‘corners’ are four embossed aftabi (Persian) or suraj-mukhi (Hindi), literally ‘sun face’. Each face has been delicately etched with details such as eyebrows, curly tendrils, and lips. The bottom of each sun face is bordered with line and the top of each sun face is bordered by rays, all executed in gold false-damascening. The iron brim contains cartouches with alternating silver and gold false-damascened flowers. The bowl is lined with printed cotton.<br><br>The edge of the base of the spike is decorated with a floral pattern. The base of the spike itself features arabesque and floral patterns in which four cartouches containing Persian are entwined. The four-sided triangular spike is also covered in floral patterns. All the decoration is executed in gold false-damascening.<br><br>Two plume-holders are riveted to the center of the bowl and flank a nasal guard. Their bases are leaf in shape with scalloped, decorative edges. The plume-holders feature flowers in gold false-damascening.<br><br>The nasal guard is secured to the bowl by a screw. It consists of a long rod that extends past the bowl and terminates, at the bottom end, in a pointed, fanned-out, and scalloped-edged shape. Like the rest of the helmet, it is decorated with gold false-damascening in floral patterns.<br><br>The aventail is connected to the helmet by larger mail links. It comprises butted steel links with a design of diamonds in copper alloy links. . The aventail terminates into dags of various sizes, the smaller ones comprising copper alloy links. Some dags are longer than others so that they drape down the shoulders. A ‘swallow’s’ tail is formed at the back of the helmet to protect the back of the neck.<br><br>The upper decorative roundel on the nasal guard has been broken off and the break has been filed flat. This helmet accompanies the shield OA1493.
OA1509|1|1|Pistols made in the style of earlier western European examples (late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century, for instance) were very popular throughout the Ottoman Empire during the nineteenth century. The workmanship of this pair is extremely fine: the stock is profusely inlaid with scrolling silver wire and the mounts are decorated in both gold and silver. This pistol shows strong French influence in its form and decoration, and indeed was thought at one time to have been made in Marseille for export to eastern Europe. At this time there was a flourishing export market in such luxury manufactured goods for a specifically Middle Eastern clientele, but this pistol would seem to be an example of the best quality Ottoman work. The name inscribed on the wrist escutcheon (‘Hamdan Ibrahim’) is probably that of the pistol’s former owner.
OA1522|1|1|Pistols made in the style of earlier western European examples (late seventeenth- and early eighteenth-century, for instance) were very popular throughout the Ottoman Empire during the nineteenth century. The workmanship of this pair is extremely fine: the stock is profusely inlaid with scrolling silver wire and the mounts are decorated in both gold and silver. This pistol shows strong French influence in its form and decoration, and indeed was thought at one time to have been made in Marseille for export to eastern Europe. At this time there was a flourishing export market in such luxury manufactured goods for a specifically Middle Eastern clientele, but this pistol would seem to be an example of the best quality Ottoman work. The name inscribed on the wrist escutcheon (‘Hamdan Ibrahim’) is probably that of the pistol’s former owner.
OA1523|1|1|Kulah Khud or helmet, composed of a watered steel bowl bears the head of a div or “devil” that is embossed on the surface. It has an embossed nose with pierced nostrils, pair of eyebrows with engraved individual hairs, and a set of wide eyes. The eyes have been detailed with gold false-damascening. The moustache has been engraved onto the surface of the bowl. The div’s mouth has been pierced with incisor teeth. The bowl is lined with red fabric, which can be seen through the nostrils and the mouth, emphasizing the div’s monstrous character. Horns and ears, made of watered steel and feature arabesque and floral patterns in gold false-damascening, have been attached to the bowl by rivets. The back of the bowl contains a cartouche with a Persian inscription that is inlaid with brass. The iron brim is decorated with cartouches filled with flowers and arabesques gold false-damascening.<br><br>The base of the spike is decorated with floral patterns and pierced cartouches with Persian inscriptions. The decoration is executed in gold false-damascening. The spike is four-sided and is covered with floral patterns in gold false-damascening.<br><br>The nasal guard is not adjustable and is secured to the bowl by a screw. It consists of a long rod that extends past the bowl and terminates, at both ends, in a pointed, fanned-out, and scalloped-edged shape. The rod is decorated with a floral pattern in gold false-damascening. The shapes at the ends have been pierced and also contain Persian inscriptions in gold false-damascening.<br><br>The aventail is connected to the helmet by large mail links. It comprisess butted steel links with a design of diamonds in copper alloy links. The aventail terminates into dags of various sizes, the smaller ones comprising copper alloy links. Some dags are longer than others so that they drape down the shoulders. A ‘swallow’s’ tail is formed at the back of the helmet to protect the back of the neck.<br><br>This type of helmet would have been used in parades and ceremonial processions. The non-adjustable, and thus unusable nasal guard supports this function. Laking (London: 1914) interpreted the inscribed numbers ‘900’ and ‘89’ as being ‘986’, mis-reading ‘89’. He asserts that ‘986’ is the Al-Hijri date (A.H.) which converts to 1577 A.D.. This erroneous supposition was induced by the presence of the name of Safavid ruler ‘Shah Thamasb’ (r. 1525-1576) on the nasal guard. Inscriptions dedicated to the great Safavid ruler were a popular feature on Persian arms and armor during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It was common to invoke, along with the names of religious figures such as the Prophet Muhammad, the names of illustrious rulers. The number ‘989’, read as an al-Hijri date, converts to to 1581 A.D. It can also signify Sura 9 and verse 89 from the Qur’an.<br><br>There is an inlaid brass design on the back of the helmet including a verse and incorporating the number ‘295’. It is believed that it corresponds to 1295 A.H. which converts to 1878 A.D. Based on this interpretation, he believes, then, that the helmet was purchased by Richard Wallace; the 4th Marquess of Hertford, who was responsible of acquiring most of the Oriental arms, died in 1870.<br><br>For similar pieces, see: Royal Collection, XXVIA.67, and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 48.92.2 and 96.5.125.
OA1635|1|1|Fire helmet, closely similar to OA1708, having a skull constructed of paper, differing from OA1708 in that the surface of the skull, peak and brim are coated with textured brown lacquer (sabi nuri), intended to mimik the appearance of russet iron. The skull is fitted with applied ribs and standing rivets of formerly silvered copper. The front of the skull carries a forecrest (maedate) in the form of a butterfly, now bare copper but formally silvered. This helmet would originally have been worn with a fire-resistant textile mantle or cape (hikeshi jikoro) designed to protect the neck and face.<br><br>During the Edo period fires were a constant danger in cities built largely of wood. In 1643 the daimyo, the territorial lords who had to maintain mansions in Edo, were obliged to supervise fire fighting both in their local area and at designated important sites such as temples, shrines granaries and so on. This obligation was called ‘Daimyo hikeshi’. This system was extended to other ranks of bushi in 1657. It was whilst supervising fire-fighting that headgear of this type were worn. The helmets are made of multiple layers of paper, modelled externally with silvered copper embellishments to resemble a conventional helmet and provided with a long, protective cape, generally of woollen cloth imported by the Dutch, that could be fastened across the face leaving only the eyes visible.
OA1643|1|1|Such gold chains were limited to the highest-ranking leaders in the Asante community. They were worn crosswise over the chest and right shoulder underneath the clothing. The Wallace Collection chains (OA1643 and OA1645) have distinctive, intricate links whose form differs from the other more popular types of Asante chains. The form might have derived from India and for years they were catalogued as Indian work despite the fact that Sir Richard Wallace acquired them along with other Asante objects.
OA1645|1|1|Such gold chains were limited to the highest-ranking leaders in the Asante community. They were worn crosswise over the chest and right shoulder underneath the clothing. The Wallace Collection chains (OA1643 and OA1645) have distinctive, intricate links whose form differs from the other more popular types of Asante chains. The form might have derived from India and for years they were catalogued as Indian work despite the fact that Sir Richard Wallace acquired them along with other Asante objects.
OA1653|1|1|Such a precious portable pen case, with the attached inkwell, would have been a luxury item and a status symbol. It would have been used by a member of the Ottoman bureaucracy, who would have worn it tucked in the sash at his waist.<br><br>The inscriptions engraved upon this set in the Arabic script include the names of the maker (Mehmet) and the owner (Richard Seymour Conway comte de Yarmouth). The title ‘Lord Yarmouth’ was only used by the eldest son and heir of each Marquess of Hertford; in the case of Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford, it was a title only used by him between 1822 and 1842. In 1829, he is known to have visited the British Embassy in Constantinople (now Istanbul), and seems to have stayed in the city for some months, so he may well have acquired this item then.
OA1673|1|1|This cast gold eagle (one of a pair) was once attached to a state chair, probably as a finial of the chair used by the Asantehene - the ruler of the Asante people. Chairs are prominent in Asante court regalia and were probably introduced through trade with Europe. They are less rooted in Asante society than stools, which were used by people of every class as the principal domestic seating. State stools were the main symbols of power and continuity of rule.
OA1674|1|1|This cast gold eagle (one of a pair) was once attached to a state chair, probably as a finial of the chair used by the Asantehene - the ruler of the Asante people. Chairs are prominent in Asante court regalia and were probably introduced through trade with Europe. They are less rooted in Asante society than stools, which were used by people of every class as the principal domestic seating. State stools were the main symbols of power and continuity of rule.
OA1675|1|1|The Asante people controlled extensive gold resources and were renowned goldsmiths. Gold jewellery was worn by royalty and high-ranking members of the nobility. It was used to enhance the wearer’s prestige and provide magical protection. Asante ornaments were highly symbolic; the design of rings could determine who wore them and on which finger. Floral designs and more abstract patterns, as seen here, were worn by both men and women. There are various interpretations of the symbolism of these rings, but none are conclusive.
OA1676|1|1|The Asante people controlled extensive gold resources and were renowned goldsmiths. Gold jewellery was worn by royalty and high-ranking members of the nobility. It was used to enhance the wearer’s prestige and provide magical protection. Asante ornaments were highly symbolic; the design of rings could determine who wore them and on which finger. Floral designs and more abstract patterns, as seen here, were worn by both men and women. There are various interpretations of the symbolism of these rings, but none are conclusive.
OA1677|1|1|The Asante people controlled extensive gold resources and were renowned goldsmiths. Gold jewellery was worn by royalty and high-ranking members of the nobility. It was used to enhance the wearer’s prestige and provide magical protection. Asante ornaments were highly symbolic; the design of rings could determine who wore them and on which finger. Floral designs and more abstract patterns, as seen here, were worn by both men and women. There are various interpretations of the symbolism of these rings, but none are conclusive.
OA1678|1|1|This paper knife was created for Sir Richard Wallace by Garrard & Co. Ltd in 1878 to incorporate two oblong Asante gold beads. Garrard's ivory blade with its abstract incised decoration resembles the decorated iron blade of an Asante state sword (see OA1682). However, such swords would not have had quillons at the junction of handle and blade due to the characteristic dumbbell hilt that prevented the hand from slipping down onto the blade. The silver quillons of this knife were added by Garrard for a practical reason but their form resembles the Asante dumbbell motif.
OA1679|1|1|The Asante used various ornate knives: some formed a part of a warrior's military kit, some were carried by executioners, whereas other knives were carried by the ruler's bodyguards. This knife is supposed to have belonged to the king. Originally, gold ornaments would have been attached to the back of the scabbard. The decoration of the knife and its scabbard has distinctive European features, such as the swags and ribbonwork on the upper part of the scabbard, which might have been copied from a European item.
OA1680|1|1|This sword, together with its pair (OA1681), is particularly elaborate. Intended as a ceremonial object, it was not used in combat. The short, narrow section of rounded iron between the blade and the framework supporting the hilts is the only grip. The exact use of these swords is unknown although an 1874 article in the Illustrated London News indicates that they are 'swords of state, which used to stand upright before the king's throne'.
OA1682|1|1|Asante swords have characteristic broad, curved blades and dumbell-shaped hilts. The hilt of this sword, decorated with geometric incisions, was once covered with gold leaf. The blade is also decorated with geometric designs. Swords of this type were carried by royal messengers; they were also used by them in processions, accompanying the Golden Stool - the ultimate symbol of power in Asante.
OA1683|1|1|This gold trophy head was made in the state of Asante, in present-day Ghana. The Asante built one of Africa’s most powerful states, famous for military might and vast wealth. They controlled extensive gold resources and were renowned for the objects they made from this precious metal. Their political and cultural centre was Kumasi, where Asantehene (king of Asante) had his palace with an impressive gold treasury. This head is among the most important and famous works of Asante art.<br>The trophy head depicts a decapitated high status enemy. Such heads would have been attached to ceremonial swords. State swords belonged to Asante regalia – objects owned by the state and intended for public display. The Asante employed different sword ornaments, including gold heads, often called ‘heads of Worosa’. The latter was chief of the northern Banda state who, reputedly, was assassinated by Asantehene Osei Kwadwo for killing Asante traders, possibly around 1765. The first casting of Worosa’s head was probably made soon after, and more representations followed. Given its wear and damage, the head in the Wallace Collection might have been an early cast.<br><br>The palace in Kumasi was looted and destroyed by British forces during the Anglo-Asante war of 1873–4. Many of the plundered objects were then sold and brought to London. This head was bought by Sir Richard Wallace from Garrard & Co. Ltd, the Crown Jeweller in London, in 1874, along with more Asante objects, including swords, knives and jewellery.
OA1690|1|1|The Haitorei edict in 1876 banned the wearing of swords in Japan by the bushi (military class), and suspended their stipends, forcing many having to sell their treasured weapons. Hundreds of thousands of swords were subsequently bought by tourists or exported for sale in the West. Thousands of craftsmen, who had forged blades, made mounts, lacquered scabbards and bound hilts were suddenly out of work. Some, especially the makers of sword fittings and lacquer workers, began producing lavish swords, particularly tanto (daggers), often with mounts of silver and highly decorated scabbards designed to appeal to western taste. These elaborate and high quality products made for the Western market became known as hama mono or ‘harbour things’ since most tourists landed at Yokohama. As supplies of original material became rarer, dealers began to assemble composite swords out of older heterogeneous parts. The daisho to which this sword belongs is one such product, composed of some older elements redecorated to create a glamourous sword-set which would appeal to European collectors.
OA1691|1|1|The Haitorei edict in 1876 banned the wearing of swords in Japan by the bushi (military class), and suspended their stipends, forcing many having to sell their treasured weapons. Hundreds of thousands of swords were subsequently bought by tourists or exported for sale in the West. Thousands of craftsmen, who had forged blades, made mounts, lacquered scabbards and bound hilts were suddenly out of work. Some, especially the makers of sword fittings and lacquer workers, began producing lavish swords, particularly tanto (daggers), often with mounts of silver and highly decorated scabbards designed to appeal to western taste. These elaborate and high quality products made for the Western market became known as hama mono or ‘harbour things’ since most tourists landed at Yokohama. As supplies of original material became rarer, dealers began to assemble composite swords out of older heterogeneous parts. The daisho to which this dagger belongs is one such product, composed of some older elements redecorated to create a glamourous sword-set which would appeal to European collectors.
OA1692|1|1|This is an unusual sword of exceptionally high quality and was almost certainly made in Palembang, south Sumatra. It is likely to have been made for a local ruler. Typical Palembang features are the highly polished darkened edge to the blade, and the swollen suasa (copper-gold alloy) band at the base of the hilt. However, the large open-mouthed naga, crowned with a large cut citrine, was clearly influenced by similar designs from the Ceribon region of north-west Java.
OA1693|1|1|Together with the han dachi, this tanto is in an original mount or koshirae. It is of conventional aikuchi form without a tsuba. The mounts are of a dark alloy, that may be over-cleaned shakudo or a variable alloy commonly called yamagane or ‘mountain metal’, divided into panels alternatively punched with nanako or carved with chrysthanemums and leaves, the borders and details of the foliage being formerly gilded. The unbound hilt is wrapped with same, or rayskin, mounted with menuki of shakudo and gold in the form of two puppies playing with an abalone shell. There is a kozuka of reasonable quality in a pocket on the back of the scabbard of shakudo and gold depicting a tachi and riding whip. The small strip of metal that protects the mouth of the kozuka pocket, the ura gane, is missing.<br><br>The blade is of hirazukuri form, that is without a ridge, cut with short grooves at the base. It is signed:<br><br>藤原長総 (the exact character used by this smith for -fuku is not available in a modern font)<br><br>Only one smith is recorded as using the very unusual character –fuku. He is recorded as working in the province of Ise during the 1860’s.
OA1694|1|1|Longsword, or handachi, having a common style of mounts of classical tachi form, of shakudo nanako divided into panels by gilded bands. The hilt is wrapped in a style called katate maki or ‘battle wrap’ using a double thread with the twists in opposite directions called jabara or ‘snake’s belly’. In this style the wrap is twisted to leave lozenge-shaped gaps at either end of the hilt, the center section being simply wrapped around by the threads. Normally the menuki, the ornaments on either side of the hilt that improved the grip by fitting into the palm, are held by a turns of thread at each end, but they are missing here.<br><br>The tsuba is of shakudo (blackened copper-gold alloy) chiselled in relief with bush-clover, chrysanthemums and gentians, the border comprised of waves with heraldic badges in the form of stylised representations of paulownia leaves and flowers called kirimon.<br><br>The scabbard has been lacquered in black, with a textured finish resembling stone, a technique known as ishime nuri. This was achieved by adding hardened, crushed lacquer into the top coats. It was considered a practical finish for scabbards as it withstands knocks and does not show fingerprints as do polished surfaces. The fittings are of a standard form, en suite with the hilt.<br><br>The very fine blade has been considerably shortened, ō-suriage, resulting in the removal of the original tang and any signature it may once have had. The current tang is drilled with two mounting holes suggesting the shortening process took place in stages. What remains of the original blade suggests it had a gentle curve with a medium-sized point section or kissaki. The shinogi is high, that is, the thickness of the blade is greatest at the ridge running down the length of the blade. This is a feature of blades made in the provinces of Yamashiro and Yamato. The grain or hada is a very tight itame with patches of mokume, ‘wood grain’ and a suggestion of masame or linear grain above the ridge. There is straight, hardened edge, sugu ba, of very small martensite crystals that also suggests a Yamato or Yamashiro blade, possibly from the early Muromachi period (1336–1573).<br><br>The term han dachi, meaning ‘half tachi’, refers to a style of sword mounted like a tachi but without suspension hangers so that it could be worn edge upwards in the sash like a katana. Originally the intention appears to have been to create a sword that could be worn as a katana or, by adding hangers, converted into a tachi.<br><br>Tsuba covered with a mass of flowers, often including insects, were one of the standard patterns of the Mino Goto school, however, they normally gilded elements of the design. It is possible that in this case the artist decided not to gild the guard, or it was never finished.<br><br>Essentially this is a conventional sword in a normal mount other than the tsuba. Since almost any katana tsuba would have sufficed, it is odd that it has been fitted with the present, apparently unfinished example.<br><br>This sword is not part of the same daisho as the dagger OA1693, as has previously been suggested (Laking 1914).
OA1696|1|1|The taotie or ‘monster of greed’ skilfully carved into the base of the nephrite grip of this sword is a figure with disputed origins. In the Classical Chinese texts Spring and Autumn Annals and The Classics of the Mountains and Seas this ‘monster of greed’ is mentioned, described as ‘eating people but not swallowing them’. Though a symbol of fear and force to outsiders, the taotie was thought to serve as a guardian of its own clans and tribes. Here it is invoked to protect the sword’s illustrious owner from harm.
OA1698|1|1|This tantō is technically of a type known as hamidashi because it is mounted with a small tsuba. The hilt is bound in black silk jabara (a form of double string made from a S and Z twist thread laid side by side to produce a chevron effect) over circular shakudo menuki with a stylized heraldic device called a kirimon (kirimon are differenced by the depiction of the leaves and the number of flowers on each stem. This example is a 3-5-3 kirimon with very stylised depiction of the leaves). There is a small iron tsuba decorated with cherry blossoms in silver and gold on the edge and a fret pattern on the edge of the faces. The fuchi and kashira, at the base and end of the hilt respectively, are of shakudo punched with nanako and decorated with tendrils and gilt chrysanthemums and leaves. The kashira of this shape was used in the province of Higo.<br><br>The scabbard is of black lacquer, densely flecked with red, and fitted with a kurikata to hold the tying cord of shakudo with gilded highlights in the form of a mask with a gilded ring in its mouth and the Buddhist pearl of wisdom on its forehead.<br><br>There is a kozuka or small byknife fitted in a pocket on the back of the scabbard. This is of very poor quality, stamped out of thin sheet and decorated with a crane, pine, bamboo and long-tailed turtle – all symbols of longevity.<br><br>The blade of the tanto is a miniature copy of a style of blade called kissaki moroha zukuri. There are three early examples of swords of this shape, thought to be transitional between the straight, double edged swords imported from China and the newly evolving curved Japanese sword. The most famous example is an unsigned blade 62.8cm long called ko garasu maru 小烏丸 or ‘Little Crow’ that is thought to have been made during the Heian period (794 to 1185) and is now in the Japanese Imperial Collection. It derives its name because tradition has it that it was discovered in a crow’s nest. During the late eighteenth and nineteenth century it became fashionable for swordsmiths to make copies. This may have been as a demonstration of their skill as during heat treatment of a blade with two hardened edges can be difficult. When being quenched, the hardened edges shrink somewhat before cooling whilst the core of the blade cools more slowly but contracts more, creating stresses that tend to cause the point to crack off. Like the original, this example has a straight hardened edge, sugu ba. The tang is only lightly patinated and is unsigned but has two intersecting holes showing it has been mounted at least twice. It probably dates from around 1800.<br><br>This tanto has been assembled from disparate pieces, The blade and scabbard are of good quality and probably date to the earlier part of the 19th century. The present hilt has been added by the same workshop that assembled the daisho in the collection, using mounts from a common source. The kashira on this tanto and that on the long sword of the daisho are obviously a pair and were probably intended for a katana / wakizashi daisho. The menuki seem to have been intended to pair up with the tsuba on the handachi in the collection.
OA1708|1|1|Fire helmet (kaji kabuto), made of paper entirely covered with sheet copper, originally silvered to reflect the heat. The skull of the helmet is divided into sections by means of applied copper ribs, each section having six prominent rivets down the centre in imitation of the multi-plate skull of a military helmet. At the apex is a typical late Edo period tehen kanamono (floral finial) of multiple layers, the lowest being engraved with clouds. At the front of the skull is a lobed peak with an applied ornament of copper embossed with clouds above which is a fitting intended to carry a crest or tsunamoto. At the rear is a ring from which hangs a silk bow with tasselled ends known as an agemaki, so called since it is supposed to resemble a dragonfly. The helmet retains its forecrest (maedate) of stylised horns and a crescent. Around the base of the skull is a flat, cusped brim having applied cloud decorations, below which are staples to which would have been fastened a fire-resistant cape (hikeshi jikoro), that extended over the shoulders and fastened across the face.<br><br>During the Edo period, fire was a constant danger in cities built largely of wood. In 1643 the daimyo, the territorial lords who had to maintain mansions in Edo, were obliged to supervise fire-fighting both in their local area and at designated important sites such as temples, shrines and granaries. This obligation was called Daimyo hikeshi. This system was extended to other ranks of bushi (samurai) in 1657. It was whilst supervising fire-fighting that headgear of this type were worn. The helmets are made of multiple layers of paper, modelled externally with silvered copper embellishments to resemble a conventional helmet and provided with a long, protective cape, sometimes of fine woollen cloth imported by the Dutch, or of Japanese silk, or both, that could be fastened across the face leaving only the eyes exposed.
OA1750|1|1|Kilidj or sabre, in the Turkish style, comprised of a watered steel blade with a partial back edge and a hilt made up of a straight guard with small, rounded terminals and a carved agate grip. The scabbard is constructed of a wooden core covered in shagreen, with mounts matching the guard.<br><br>The blade carries a series of cartouches containing inlaid Koranic inscriptions. Three cabochon rubies have been set into gold foil on each side of the blade, one of which, near the top of the blade, is missing. The blade also bears a European crest of a bull’s head surmounted with a coronet, resembling that of a British Duke, and surrounded by trophies of Turkish arms and palm branches, all false-damascened in gold. It is uncertain whether this crest is original to the making of the blade or a later addition.<br><br>The guard and scabbard mounts are made of solid gold decorated with engraved and gilt and niello flowers and foliage. The visible edges of the tang have also been decorated in the same way, to match the other parts.<br><br>The dark red agate grip scales, affixed by means of three floral-headed rivets, do not fit the lower part of the guard properly. The sword’s original grip was probably of jade. There is a crescent-shaped metal insert visible at the base of the blade, protruding from the hilt, which appears to have been intended to reinforce the tang and tighten the fit of hilt and blade, possibly when the agate scales were added. The present scales have been poorly cut to accommodate the guard, suggesting that they were not custom-made as replacements for this sword, but were themselves adapted for the purpose.<br><br>The mouth of the scabbard locket has the unusual characteristic associated with swords of this type, a semi-circular cut-out on the outer side. The fact that the suspension rings are made of brass suggests that they are replacements. French import stamps for gold are present on the locket’s mouth. The absence of a tughra is noteable but not especially surprising, since the piece may have been a royal possession.<br><br>The agate grips scales are too big and the wrong shape for the guard, and are therefore not original. The whole hilt is now loose as a result of the later alteration. The agate is typical of the products of Idar-Oberstein during the second half of the 19th century. The artificial colour was achieved by staining with iron dissolved in hydrochloric acid.<br><br>The cartouche at the base of the blade is a characteristic of Lwów workmanship.
OA1753|1|1|This exotic silver-mounted sabre belonged to Anatole Demidoff, prince of San Donato in Florence. It is depicted in an unfinished equestrian portrait of him by Karl Briullov (1799–1852), begun in 1828, and now in the Palazzo Pitti, Florence. Although the sabre was seemingly made of gold in Briullov’s portrait, little of the precious metal still remains; most has vanished, perhaps due to over-cleaning during its ‘working’ lifetime. Despite its singularly Ottoman style, the hilt of the sword bears an (unidentified) Austrian silversmith’s mark, and all the mounts are struck with the standard Austrian mark for silver, indicating that it is almost certainly of Austrian manufacture. Swords in ‘oriental’ style were particularly fashionable throughout Europe at this time, being especially sought after by young cavalry officers and noblemen.
OA1760|1|1|This beautifully-wrought silver-gilt tiger-headed mace, one of a pair, was intended not as a weapon but was employed purely for processional use, being carried by harbingers to herald the imminent approach of a prince, nobleman or important official. The tiger’s eyes are made of garnets and a green stone is mounted in the centre of the forehead. Although appearing to be of massive and deadly weight, such maces were usually hollow, made out of thin sheet-silver, embossed, chased, engraved and parcel-gilt. The hollow shell was filled with pitch, or a similar substance, to confer a degree of strength and rigidity. Similar examples bearing different animal’s heads (horses, bulls or elephants, for example) are also known.
OA1769|1|1|The richly gold-overlaid helmet skull is of burnished steel, shaped to accommodate the topknot of hair that is worn by devout Sikhs; this type of helmet is therefore specifically Sikh in origin, and one of only a handful to survive. Though it is a work of great craftsmanship, there is in fact a slight flaw in the metal of the helmet skull, just to one side, but it has been cleverly concealed by the craftsman, who has applied gold inlay in the shape of a bird directly over it. Another bird has been applied to the other side in order to balance the design.
OA1923|1|1|Although lacquered painting was a common art form in nineteenth-century Iran, it is usually found on pen boxes, mirror cases and other small items; to find this type of painting on a shield is extremely unusual. Made in a time when Iran was embroiled in turmoil and the Qajar monarchy was under existential threat from both tribal revolts in the east and an apocalyptic religious movement in the west, this shield is evidence that high-quality works of art continued to be commissioned even in turbulent times.
OA2041|1|1|Full-stocked in silver and profusely inlaid with carved pieces of coral, these muzzle-loading flint-lock pistols are among the most colourful and exotic of their type ever to have been made. A number of similarly decorated pistols, together with matching long-guns decorated en suite, were presented to George III by the Algerian ambassador on behalf of the bey of Algiers in 1811 and again in 1819. Some of these remain in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle.
OA2066|1|1|Much of the decoration of this impressive-looking weapon owes its style and inspiration to eighteenth-century France. The stock is deeply carved and inlaid with scrolling silver wire, while the blued steel of the metalwork is heavily encrusted with silver. A saddle-ring and bar have been fitted to enable the gun to be carried and used on horseback, slung from a baldric or from the saddle. Firearms of this type were fired from the thigh or hip and were popular throughout the lands of the Ottoman Empire, but were rarely used in this way in Western Europe.
OA2077|1|1|Made of buffalo hide and lacquered for durability and hardness, this late eighteenth-century Indian shield, provides an unexpected canvas for the artist. In its design, it parallels contemporary Indian textiles. Its white ground evokes the white wool popular throughout the subcontinent as a base for expensive embroidered textiles. Meanwhile the overall composition is reminiscent of the classic rug design with a central medallion, a field, and a border.⁠<br><br>These parallels remind us that an ornate shield like this is a fashion item, made to show off the wealth and good taste of the ultimate owner. The shield is unlined to show off its translucence: further evidence for the quality of the leather and the skill of the artist.⁠
OA2157|1|1|The stock, carved from burr maple, is richly inlaid with decorative motifs incorporating stained ivory, brass and ebony. The barrel is of octagonal section, constructed with ‘pattern-welded’ steel forged in a spiral ‘damascus-twist’ pattern, and rifled for accurate shooting. Ottoman-made gun barrels of this type were highly prized throughout Europe and the Middle East. Even at this date the sword was still preferred by many as a more ‘honourable’ weapon, requiring skill and dedication to master. Kurtbey, a noted Egyptian Mamluk general, appealed to the Ottoman sultan to abandon the use of firearms, on the grounds that a rifle or a musket could be deadly ‘even if a woman were to fire it’.
OA2163|1|1|The watered-steel skull, which is almost conical in shape, has been reinforced with twelve vertical ribs that radiate out from the apex down to a thin band that forms the lower brim. Some have traces of gold false-damascening in arabesque and floral patterns. At the apex of the helmet is a conical base, decorated in gold false-damascening, atop which a knob has been mounted.<br><br>At the brim are cartouches containing Qur’anic inscriptions overlaid by means of false- damascening in gold. The inscriptions are too worn to be legible. There is a nineteenth- century repair to the brim band where a piece of etched metal has been added.<br><br>The three nasals and their brackets are original, but they have been remounted in Europe with washers. They also have European nineteenth-century heart-shaped thumbscrews, which are copies of a seventeenth-century type. The central nasal has a hole in the middle that once bore a hook for holding the nasal in a raised position. The central nasal guard is larger than the two flanking it. All three terminate in heart shapes at both ends that feature traces of gold false-damascening.<br><br>The aventail is made of small, very fine, riveted steel links that are connected to the helmet by means of larger mail links. The aventail terminates into three large dags; two on the sides so that they drape down over the shoulders, and one at the rear covering the back of the neck.<br><br>This helmet was extensively reworked in the nineteenth century, particularly with regard to the decoration. It is possible that the nineteenth-century repair to the brim band and the European work done to the nasal guards were most likely executed by a dealer. This helmet is a very rare example as it features three nasal guards. One of the outer nasal bars is inverted. It is comparable to OA 1789.
OA2211|1|1|This unusual knife, though perhaps not as immediately impressive as some of the diamond-studded items elsewhere in the Wallace Collection, is a tour de force from the hand of a master craftsman. Its walrus-ivory hilt is carefully carved into a layered arabesque pattern, which is paralleled in gold inlay on the blade. The date is inscribed in gold on the blade using the cheaper overlay or ‘false-damascening’ technique, indicating it could have been added later.
OA2367|1|1|These spectacular pagoda-shaped incense burners (OA2367–8) are decorated with cloisonné enamel. Their decorative motifs include dragons, the character for longevity (shou), and various flowers and birds. Incense was used in domestic, scholarly, religious and palatial contexts in China. In temples it was an aid to meditation and prayer. Incense was also employed to scent houses and palace halls. Scholars used it when practising activities such as calligraphy and music. It was commonly formed into sticks that were placed in beds of sand and burnt in vessels. Incense smoke would then escape through the holes. The forms of incense burners often derived from ancient bronzes. The lower part of this pair is known as a ding – a traditional, three-legged ritual vessel. The pair was probably made in the Imperial workshops, during the Qianlong Emperor’s reign, for use in a palace. The four-clawed dragon incorporated in the pierced gilt panels suggests that they might have been intended for the princes or nobles. The five-clawed dragon was restricted to the emperor.<br><br>The provenance of the incense burners is unknown but we know that around 1869–70 they were in the Landstein collection in Hong Kong. This probably refers to William Rudolph Landstein, a Polish businessman, who established Landstein and Company in Hong Kong in 1865. The company developed business with Indochina, including the transport of rice and cotton from Saigon. We do not know when the burners found their way to the Wallace Collection. They must have been acquired by Sir Richard Wallace, who inherited the 4th Marquess of Hertford’s art collection in 1870. Wallace was a keen collector of Chinese art, although today only a small group of Chinese works remains in the collection.<br><br>One of the two wooden stands is original and is carved in zitan. This timber, which has a very fine and dense grain, was highly esteemed in Imperial China. Its popularity at the Ming and Qing courts, together with its long growth and limited availability, caused the exhaustion of its supply in China. By the Qianlong Emperor’s reign, zitan timber was kept in the Imperial warehouses and its use was restricted to the Palace Workshops. The second stand was made to match, in a different wood at a later date.