Ashoka Arts -Antique Arms and Armour, Oriental Swords and Weapons

Antique Ottoman Balkan Miquelet lock musket ‘Boyliya’ with gold and fabric

stefan — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:49:52 +0000

A beautiful Ottoman Balkan ‘Boyliya’ gun or musket surviving in superb condition. This longgun is clearly a high quality piece and would have belonged to a man of some rank or standing, the piece is decorated profusely throughout and retains both its embroidered fabric cover to the stock and its original tassel ornament.

The stock is covered entirely with metal finely chiselled with designs having gold elements highlighted to create a stunning visual effect.Multiple silver cappucine bands holding the barrel to the stock, again very finely chiselled. The steel barrel of fine quality, fluted to the top section with chiselled banded decoration and some engraved writing? along its top. The lock of miquelet turkish form in good working condition and retaining its original flint, the faces applied with engraved brass, and the top edge set with three coral stones. The sleeve to the butt is of velvet embroidered in ‘boteh’ designs in metallic silver/gold thread, the tassels made from coloured silks. The fabric pad covering still remaining to the actual butt to provide a comfortable hold when firing. The gun also has its steel ramrod, and gilt brass fixings to take a strap to one side.

A rare opportunity to find such a complete example in excellent condition, circa 1800. 153 cms long approximately. The Balkans at this period were and had been under Ottoman Turkish control for many years, this style of gun, while very similar to the Turkish types is typically found in the Western Balkan regions and was probably used by a specific ethnic group. Middle east

Rare Qing Sino-Tibetan Iron Military Helmet Chinese helmet with Tibetan style silver and gold decoration

stefan — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:30:59 +0000

Rare Chinese Qing or ‘Manchu’ Military helmet of steel, blackened iron with silver and gold Tibetan style decoration, Very good old provenance. Dating to the 17th or early 18th century

Early Indian Khanjarli ivory dagger with silver mounts

stefan — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:30:37 +0000

lovely quality Indian dagger ‘Khanjarli’ with ivory lunette shaped grip and pommel, star silver rivets and dark patinated watered steel blade circa 1800

Large Zulu War Axe, Danakil Somalian Spears for sale

stefan — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:10:29 +0000

Newly aquired, two fine Danakil tribe Spears from Somalia with leaf shaped steel blades and shafts, A large Sotho/Swazi or Nguni Zulu War axe, robust iron triangular blade with wire wrapped head. Fine African Arms and armour from ashoka arts!

A host of new items to be added to ashoka arts

stefan — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:15:58 +0000

coming soon to the site indian swords, sikh tulwar, zulfiqar and wootz bladed shamshir with gold cartouche, rare indian wootz lance,western australian aboriginal items spear thrower and boomerangs, wonderful Indian matchlock rifle, gold inlaid jade hilted ottoman daggers, zulu spears, silver arab jambiya daggers, early deccan axe, navaja spanish knife, fine bhutanese sword and more!!

Rare Indian Zulfiqar sword Tulwar

stefan — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:29:12 +0000

Rare Indian sword Tulwar with curved zulfiqar split tip blade, makers marks. coming soon

Finest Royal Ethiopian Gilt Jewelled shield and Rhino Horn hilted Gurade or shotel sword once belonging to Haile Selassie

stefan — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:22:27 +0000

coming soon, the finest quality Ethiopian jewelled gilt shield and rhino horn hilted gurade sword en suite owned by Ethiopian Emporer Haile Selassie and presented to Harold Baxter Kittermaster, the Governor of British Somaliland in 1927. A very rare opportunity for the collector of Ethiopian Weapons.

Two antique 19th century Sudanese kaskara swords

stefan — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:51:24 +0000

Two antique 19th century Sudanese kaskara swords one with islamic arabic calligraphic script, the other with man in the moon makers marks, ‘crusader’ style cruciform leather hilts and broadsword steel blades

Nice T’Boli sword of kampilan style

stefan — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 19:55:33 +0000

Stunning antique T’Boli or tboli sword from Southern Mindanao in the Philippines. The T’boli are an indigenous tribal group with an animist religion, very old and reputedly the source of the finest blades in the Philippines. The handles as with this one are frequently made of cast brass with lost wax designs applied with bells and chains, textile and with a wooden sheath often applied with horsehair and brass tubes to the end of the scabbard. Related to the Bagobo people with whom they share many similarities.

antique Axe, … tribal Gond or Kond Indian weapon, … complete example

stefan — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 16:45:47 +0000

A very good condition antique Tribal Indian Axe ‘Bullova’ from the Gond/khond tribe of Orissa in india, large moustache shaped steel blade, brass mounts and top spike, another example also coming with rare straight edged blade of ‘chopper’ style 19th century