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_900x900.jpg "Khazar Iron Sabre with Gilt Bronze Cross Guard")
_200x200.jpg "Khazar Iron Sabre with Gilt Bronze Cross Guard")
_900x900.jpg "Khazar Iron Sabre with Gilt Bronze Cross Guard")
_200x200.jpg "Khazar Iron Sabre with Gilt Bronze Cross Guard")
.jpg "Khazar Iron Sabre with Gilt Bronze Cross Guard")
.jpg "Khazar Iron Sabre with Gilt Bronze Cross Guard")
LOT 0310
Khazar Iron Sabre with Gilt Bronze Cross Guard
9TH CENTURY A.D.
31 5/8 in. (610 grams, 80.5 cm).
A single-edged hand-forged sabre with a gently curving blade, an iron band welded beneath the cross guard, together with a tongue along the side of the blade; the separate gilt cross guard with spherical ornamented finials to the quillons, the central panel with a stylised face flanked by a pair of leaping lions biting the top of the head, the other side with a lozenge within a ropework frame. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceAcquired 1971-1972.
From the collection of the vendor's father.
Property of a London, UK, collector.
Accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.114437-196034.
Cf. similar specimens in Zakharow, A., Arendt, W., Studia Levedica, Archaeologischer Beitrag zur Geschichte der Altungarn im IX JH., Budapest, 1935, fig.21, p.54, fig.22, p.56 (guards), pls. III,VI nos. 3,5; Lebedinsky, I., De l’epée scythe au sabre mongol, Paris, 2008, pp.172ff.; Gorelik, M., ‘The image of the men-warrior in Kabaria-Ugria-Russia (in Russian)’ in Archaeology of the Eurasian Steppes, no.5, Kazan, 2017, pp.257-267, fig.1, nos.1,5; Fodor, I., Revesz, L., Wolf, M., Nepper, I.M., Morigi Govi, C., Gli Antichi Ungari, nascita di una nazione, Bologna, 1998, p.132, no.117 (cat.515); Bashir, M., The Arts of the Muslim Knight, The Furusiyya Art Foundation Collection, Milano, 2008, p.34.
FootnotesThis exceptional sabre shows similarity with examples from the Caucasus and Kuban regions. The blade could be Khazar-Magyar, and certainly its best parallels are the specimens from Verchne-Szaltovo area. According to M. Gorelik, some of these sabres were produced by the Kabarians, a breakaway tribe from the Khazar State, who formed an alliance with the Magyars. The extra band welded beneath the quillons, together with the side tongue, not only protected the scabbard from being cut by the blade but, more importantly, defended the warrior’s fingers which were wrapped around the quillons when fighting.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
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Comprising mainly tanged arrowheads including various types of leaf-shaped heads with midribs. 200 grams total, 12-15.3 cm
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The barbed arrowhead seems to belong to the type V, subcategory type C, according to the classification of Khorasani and Negahban. In the four categories of triangular bronze arrowheads from Luristan, Marlik and Northern Iran individuated by Negahban, subtypes C and D of type V are larger arrow or javelin heads, C large triangular arrowheads with barbed shoulders and D with lanceolate shape and rounded midrib. The straight shoulders recalls a Marlik typology (see Khorasani, 2006, p.307, fig.379). -
Marlik Type Bronze Tanged Spearhead
12th-11th century B.C.Estimate: £100 - 140 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £50
With heavily ridged and tapering blade, short collared shaft and a square-section tapering tang bent at the tip. 159 grams, 31.5 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
The weapon belongs to type I of the Khorasani classification. Similar weapons have been excavated in Marlilk by Professor Negahban and dated by Stutzinger to the late 13th-early 12th century B.C. -
Western Asiatic Bronze Dagger
2nd millennium B.C.Estimate: £100 - 140 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £50
With a narrow pointed blade and wide raised flange down centre, straight sides, well marked shoulders with narrow tang, one hole for rivet. 128 grams total, 17.6 cm high including stand
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The type was technically more advanced than previous types of blades in the Near East, owing to the shape of the weapon, with its slightly convex sides widening out near the point, which combined the advantages of the leaf-shaped and straight-sided forms.
