A decorated Kard for comment and help with translation

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.

20th May 2022, 05:55 PM	#1
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	#2
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.