A decorated Kard for comment and help with translation

GePi · 24th April 2022, 08:11 AM

Hello,

I would like to present a very elaborately decorated Kard I acquired last year and on which I finally finished the last bit of restoration work. It is extensively decorated with chiselling and gold inlay in a Persian manner, but due to several features (recurved blade, 'beaked' pommel, raised rivet heads, scabbard style) I am certain it comes from Afghanistan.

Is is dated to 1272 AH - 1855/1856 AD. The wootz pattern is quite nice in general, but it has quite a few flaws with areas where it complety disappears, which to me fits both to the late date of manufacuture and an origin outside of the major production centers in Iran.

For the maker's name I would suggest احمد صوفی الله - Ahmad Sufi Allah, and for the small aftabi inlay on the spine of the blade يا الله - Oh Allah.

The inscriptions on the backstrap and on the flats of the blade are way too complicated to read for me, although I can certainly spot several Allahs and Alis, so I would assume they are of a religious nature. If Kwiatek or someone else would be able to decipher those I would be very grateful.

Drabant1701 · 24th April 2022, 08:40 AM

Very nice piece! Love the patterns

David R · 24th April 2022, 09:41 AM

Very nice indeed.

BBking · 24th April 2022, 11:38 AM

Really nice !
Have you old/ first pictures of your kard for see before/after restoration work !

CharlesS · 24th April 2022, 11:58 AM

Extraordinary craftsmanship!! Congrats!

Saracen · 24th April 2022, 02:14 PM

This is an amazing Kard. Thank you for posting.
The decoration of the locket of the scabbard also looks Afghan to me.

mahratt · 24th April 2022, 05:57 PM

Fantastic Kard! Thank you for the opportunity to see this item.
Handle and scabbard are clearly made in Afghanistan.

Sajen · 24th April 2022, 09:37 PM

What a beauty!

GePi · 25th April 2022, 04:05 PM

Thanks all, it certainly is a step up in quality for my collection.

I unfortunately did not take any photos pre-restoration myself, so I can only show the auctioneer's pictures.
It seems the knife was 'restored' before and someone took a rough grinding wheel to the edge and went way overboard with it. It really bothered me and I did the best I could to correct it to a more appropiate shape as far as possible. There was also some of the goldwire missing which I have had restored by a specialist because that is beyond my paygrade.

mariusgmioc · 26th April 2022, 12:39 PM

In my oppinion it is Mughal.

Lovely piece anyhow!

Peter B. · 27th April 2022, 06:37 PM

This is an exceptionally beautiful knife and a wonderful restoration.
How did you manage to bring the cutting edge back to its current state?

GePi · 28th April 2022, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter B.

This is an exceptionally beautiful knife and a wonderful restoration.
How did you manage to bring the cutting edge back to its current state?

Nothing fancy, just grinding the flats of the blade down and polishing everything up again for the etch. It was a bit of a challenge, especially where the chiselled cartouches came very near to the edge, but I am pretty happy with how it turned out.
I use diamond coated knife sharpening stones for the rough grind. An odd choice perhaps, but they are small and handy and I never got the hang of properly moving a blade over a large whetstone. Fine polish with sandpaper with a hard backing.

Peter B. · 1st May 2022, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GePi

Nothing fancy, just grinding the flats of the blade down ...

Thanks for the explanation. It turned out to be a very nice job.

kwiatek · 20th May 2022, 05:55 PM

On the blade is a famous couplet from the Gulistan of Sa'di:

غرض نقشیست کز ما باز ماند
که هستی را نمی بینم بقایی

"The aim of this design is that it should outlive us,
For I see no permanence in this existence"

Down the back of the grip is Surat al-Ikhlas (112)

In the cartouche at the back of the base of the blade I would suggest the following

فرمایش سردار شیر علی خان

"Commission of Sardar Sher 'Ali Khan"

The date and name of the maker I read as you have done

سنه ۱۲۷۲

"Year 1272 (1854-5)"

عمل احمد الله صوفی

"Work of Ahmadullah Sufi"

The names strongly suggest the owner and maker were from Afghanistan. There was a member of the Barakzai dynasty called Sardar Sher 'Ali Khan who was vizier to the governor in Herat and later governor himself of Kandahar. His dates fit too

https://www.royalark.net/Afghanistan/barak5.htm

GePi · 21st May 2022, 01:27 PM

Thank you so much, kwiatek!
The translations itself are a great favor and will hopefully help me improve my own reading in the future, but the specific historic context is invaluable and something that I did not even slightly expect to receive when I posted this.

24th April 2022, 08:11 AM	#1
GePi Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Germany Posts: 93	A decorated Kard for comment and help with translation Hello, I would like to present a very elaborately decorated Kard I acquired last year and on which I finally finished the last bit of restoration work. It is extensively decorated with chiselling and gold inlay in a Persian manner, but due to several features (recurved blade, 'beaked' pommel, raised rivet heads, scabbard style) I am certain it comes from Afghanistan. Is is dated to 1272 AH - 1855/1856 AD. The wootz pattern is quite nice in general, but it has quite a few flaws with areas where it complety disappears, which to me fits both to the late date of manufacuture and an origin outside of the major production centers in Iran. For the maker's name I would suggest احمد صوفی الله - Ahmad Sufi Allah, and for the small aftabi inlay on the spine of the blade يا الله - Oh Allah. The inscriptions on the backstrap and on the flats of the blade are way too complicated to read for me, although I can certainly spot several Allahs and Alis, so I would assume they are of a religious nature. If Kwiatek or someone else would be able to decipher those I would be very grateful. Attached Images

25th April 2022, 04:05 PM	#9
GePi Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Germany Posts: 93	Thanks all, it certainly is a step up in quality for my collection. I unfortunately did not take any photos pre-restoration myself, so I can only show the auctioneer's pictures. It seems the knife was 'restored' before and someone took a rough grinding wheel to the edge and went way overboard with it. It really bothered me and I did the best I could to correct it to a more appropiate shape as far as possible. There was also some of the goldwire missing which I have had restored by a specialist because that is beyond my paygrade. Attached Images

24th April 2022, 08:40 AM	#2
Drabant1701 Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Sweden Posts: 181	Very nice piece! Love the patterns

24th April 2022, 09:41 AM	#3
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,051	Very nice indeed.

24th April 2022, 11:38 AM	#4
BBking Member Join Date: Jan 2022 Posts: 66	Really nice ! Have you old/ first pictures of your kard for see before/after restoration work !

24th April 2022, 11:58 AM	#5
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,855	Extraordinary craftsmanship!! Congrats!

24th April 2022, 02:14 PM	#6
Saracen Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Posts: 147	This is an amazing Kard. Thank you for posting. The decoration of the locket of the scabbard also looks Afghan to me.

24th April 2022, 05:57 PM	#7
mahratt Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Russia Posts: 1,042	Fantastic Kard! Thank you for the opportunity to see this item. Handle and scabbard are clearly made in Afghanistan.

24th April 2022, 09:37 PM	#8
Sajen Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Germany, Dortmund Posts: 8,468	What a beauty!

26th April 2022, 12:39 PM	#10
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,870	In my oppinion it is Mughal. Lovely piece anyhow!

27th April 2022, 06:37 PM	#11
Peter B. Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: Germany Posts: 41	This is an exceptionally beautiful knife and a wonderful restoration. How did you manage to bring the cutting edge back to its current state?

20th May 2022, 05:55 PM	#14
kwiatek Member Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 153	On the blade is a famous couplet from the Gulistan of Sa'di: غرض نقشیست کز ما باز ماند که هستی را نمی بینم بقایی "The aim of this design is that it should outlive us, For I see no permanence in this existence" Down the back of the grip is Surat al-Ikhlas (112) In the cartouche at the back of the base of the blade I would suggest the following فرمایش سردار شیر علی خان "Commission of Sardar Sher 'Ali Khan" The date and name of the maker I read as you have done سنه ۱۲۷۲ "Year 1272 (1854-5)" عمل احمد الله صوفی "Work of Ahmadullah Sufi" The names strongly suggest the owner and maker were from Afghanistan. There was a member of the Barakzai dynasty called Sardar Sher 'Ali Khan who was vizier to the governor in Herat and later governor himself of Kandahar. His dates fit too https://www.royalark.net/Afghanistan/barak5.htm

21st May 2022, 01:27 PM	#15
GePi Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Germany Posts: 93	Thank you so much, kwiatek! The translations itself are a great favor and will hopefully help me improve my own reading in the future, but the specific historic context is invaluable and something that I did not even slightly expect to receive when I posted this.