AssadUllah Cartouche/Stamp

Jim McDougall · 31st December 2007, 04:03 AM

For the benefit of those not familiar with Oliver Pinchot's outstanding article, it is:
"The Persian Shamshir and the Signature of Assad Allah", which appeared in "Arms Collecting" (the journal of the Canadian Arms Collecting Society) in Vol. 40, #1 , February, 2002.

This shamshir appears to me to be Indian, with the flueret shape on the langet which seems stylized after the familiar affectation on tulwar langets and as far as I know do not typically appear on Bedouin saifs. This is not to say that this was not produced in India to be exported to Arabia as it is well established that this trade was quite typical.

The clear imitation of the lion in cartouche would of course be intended to suggest the higher quality of the blade and appeal to the Bedouin, whose preference for Persian blades and swords was well known. I agree that the poor representation of the lion would still be intended as such, and the points in the circle around the cartouche associate with solar symbolism on Indian tulwar hilts in the pommel in many of the pommel dishes.

All best regards,
Jim

31st December 2007, 04:03 AM	#10
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,299	For the benefit of those not familiar with Oliver Pinchot's outstanding article, it is: "The Persian Shamshir and the Signature of Assad Allah", which appeared in "Arms Collecting" (the journal of the Canadian Arms Collecting Society) in Vol. 40, #1 , February, 2002. This shamshir appears to me to be Indian, with the flueret shape on the langet which seems stylized after the familiar affectation on tulwar langets and as far as I know do not typically appear on Bedouin saifs. This is not to say that this was not produced in India to be exported to Arabia as it is well established that this trade was quite typical. The clear imitation of the lion in cartouche would of course be intended to suggest the higher quality of the blade and appeal to the Bedouin, whose preference for Persian blades and swords was well known. I agree that the poor representation of the lion would still be intended as such, and the points in the circle around the cartouche associate with solar symbolism on Indian tulwar hilts in the pommel in many of the pommel dishes. All best regards, Jim