A Persian shamshir sword. The blade of this sword is big and heavy and likely to date to the 17th or early 18th century. Signed at the top with a lion cartouche and a panel of arabic with the maker Assad Allah inlaid with gold. The wootz steel blade of this sword is very fine and clear and display the rare pattern ‘Kirk Narduban’ the ladder of the prophet or ‘Mohammed’s ladder’ which displays as a regular banded pattern along the blade. The crossguard is of steel with some silver overlaid decoration, horn and silver grips with silver panels and a silvered steel pommel. Circa 1700
A fine and interesting early Persian or Central Asian War Axe Tabar or ‘Tabarzin’. This piece is significant in its weight and size, the steel axehead itself is deeply decorated in relief with scenes of a mounted warrior amongst animals and trees, presumably made from wootz steel. The mounting of the axe is most unusual, below the head is a fine quality Chinese archers ring of Jade, which appears to be early Qing Dynasty in date. The top and bottom shaft mounts are of thick silver, exquisitely chiselled with geometric borders and flowers, suggesting a Central Asian Uzbek or Bukharan origin. The shaft itself is unusually carved in a series of spirals which adds a most dramatic appearance to the piece.
A very nice and collectible pair of 18th century Flintlock holster pistols, from the Ottoman Empire probably made in Bosnia, around Sarajevo in the Balkans by a master gunsmith. The stocks are wholly covered with very fine pure silver filigree wire decoration in scrolls and panels. The handles and breech region are further set with decorative red stones. Fine steel work locks beautifully engraved, the barrel is also chiselled and engraved with some characters and writing. Weapons of this quality were important throughout the Islamic world as indicators of status and fashion as well as functioning items for self defense. These would have been worn either in a double holster attached to a horses saddle, or stuck through a wide waist sash or belt which was typically Turkish and Balkan.
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!
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
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.
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
A superb early Bronze Lantaka deck cannon or swivel gun from Northen Borneo /Brunei. These ornate bronze canons were typically used along the gunwales and decks of ships, most notoriously those used by the Malay pirates who were active in the South China Seas around Borneo and the Philippines. This examples is small, cast from heavy bronze and ornate with a cast crocodile mounted to the front, and also most interestingly has an exploded breech section showing a failure during active firing!! 19th century or earlier