Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Photo thread: ROYALTY SWORDS , ARMS & ARMOUR from around the world

Radu Transylvanicus · 13th January 2005, 09:55 AM

An imperial khanjarli belonging to Mughal Shah Jahangir (1569-1627)

This khanjarli (a type of Hindustani curved/recurved dagger with knuckle guard) belonged to one of the greatest Mughal emperors, Shah Jahangir. It was likely given to him around year 1619 as a gift by one of the court potentates and after him story says it was passed on to his even more famous son, legendary Shah Jahan, constructor of the Taj Mahal; this dagger was even mentioned in Jahangir's written memoirs.
Visually extremely opulent, with the exception of the very functional blade it is completely covered in lavish decoration (a horror vacui* phenomenon comparable to the French Rococo) with geometric, floral, and zoomorphic (tiger and horse, as Jahangir loved hunting in his early days before giving into heavy opium and alcohol in late years) motifs carved. The gold hilt and scabbard of this dagger are engraved and set with rubies, emeralds, diamonds, agate, enamel, glass, and ivory of which only diamond are left in natural state, large and uncut.
Today this dagger rests in the "Al-Sabah collection" of the Kuwait National Museum, insituted 1983, from where it tours the world regularly.
Dimensions: length 35.5 cm (14 in.) width 11.6 cm (4. 5/8 in.)
Photo credits: Islamic Art and Patronage, treasures from Kuwait 1990

Radu Transylvanicus

* horror vacui - obsession of filling every little part of an art object with decoration, as encrusted, painted but mostly with carvings. It is to be observed particularly in Italian Renaissance, French Rococco, Thai sculpture, Islamic arts and Latino neighborhood cars

13th January 2005, 09:55 AM	#5
Radu Transylvanicus Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: 2008-2010 Bali, 1998-2008 USA Posts: 271	*An imperial khanjarli* belonging to Mughal Shah Jahangir (1569-1627)** This khanjarli (a type of Hindustani curved/recurved dagger with knuckle guard) belonged to one of the greatest Mughal emperors, Shah Jahangir. It was likely given to him around year 1619 as a gift by one of the court potentates and after him story says it was passed on to his even more famous son, legendary Shah Jahan, constructor of the Taj Mahal; this dagger was even mentioned in Jahangir's written memoirs. Visually extremely opulent, with the exception of the very functional blade it is completely covered in lavish decoration (a horror vacui* phenomenon comparable to the French Rococo) with geometric, floral, and zoomorphic (tiger and horse, as Jahangir loved hunting in his early days before giving into heavy opium and alcohol in late years) motifs carved. The gold hilt and scabbard of this dagger are engraved and set with rubies, emeralds, diamonds, agate, enamel, glass, and ivory of which only diamond are left in natural state, large and uncut. Today this dagger rests in the "Al-Sabah collection" of the Kuwait National Museum, insituted 1983, from where it tours the world regularly. Dimensions: length 35.5 cm (14 in.) width 11.6 cm (4. 5/8 in.) Photo credits: Islamic Art and Patronage, treasures from Kuwait 1990 Radu Transylvanicus * *horror vacui* - obsession of filling every little part of an art object with decoration, as encrusted, painted but mostly with carvings. It is to be observed particularly in Italian Renaissance, French Rococco, Thai sculpture, Islamic arts and Latino neighborhood cars Attached Images Last edited by Radu Transylvanicus; 13th January 2005 at 10:48 AM.