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LOT 1063
Khazar Sabre with Gilt Cross Guard with Face
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.
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Luristan Sword Blade with Blood Channels
2nd millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £229
A substantial bronze leaf-shaped blade with raised midrib extending to a short tang, ribbed fullers with curved ends extending to the shoulders. 422 grams, 41.5 cm
Fine condition.
Acquired in the 1990s. With a London, UK, gallery. Property of a London collector; from her family's private collection.
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Luristan Dirk with Cuneiform Inscription
1125-1104 B.C.Estimate: £8,000 - 10,000 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £4,000
A bronze dirk or dagger with raised flanges to the grip, possibly to accept organic inserts, cuneiform script over two lines inscribed to the blade below the grip on both faces; blade repaired. 188 grams, 40 cm
with a London, UK gallery 1971-early 2000s. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11591-199676.
This is a dagger with an inscription of King Nebuchadnezzar I of Babylon, 1125-1104 B.C. The inscription is identical to those on four other bronze daggers (reportedly from Luristan), three of which are in the Foroughi collection and one in the Iran Bastan museum (National Museum of Iran, inventory no.626/1626). The Type IIIa bronze dirk of the Medveskaya classification belongs to a series of weapons bearing the same engraved inscription in Babylonian cuneiform script which reads: 'It belongs to Nabu, the King of Kiohatti, the King of Babylon, King of Sumer and Akkad'. It was cast in one piece (hilt and blade) and probably formed an endowment to the royal guard.
