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Caucasian Arms And Armour, A Magnificent Nielloed And Gilt Silver Kinjal (Kindjal) Or Dagger Decorated With Finley Carved Ivory And Gold Inlaid Decoration, Caucuses, Dagestan Dated 1883 AD.

Identification Number: 295
Sold

Description

This masterpiece is further evidence of the outstanding skills and high standards owned by the craftsmen who were making such very high quality of Islamic daggers in the caucuses region.

The various materials and techniques used in making this Kindjal is proof of how talented and highly skillful those artists were by making this masterpiece.

Both dagger handle and scabbard are beautifully inscribed in Arabic language (Nastaliq style script) with fine gold overlaid decoration, the engraved inscription on the ivory handle and on the nielloed silver on the scabbard reads the following

صاحبهُ محمّد
(Sa-he-be-he Mohamed) translating to the owner is Mohamed.

سنة ١٣٠٣
Sanat-1303. Translating to the year 1303 AH = 1883 AD.

عمل عبد الله كباجي
Amali Abed Allah Kubachi, translating to the work of Abed Allah from Kubachi

The blade is inscribed in gold with
حسن
Translating to the name of Hassan (probably the blade maker name).

 

THIS ITEM WAS SOLD BEFORE THE IVORY BAN BECAME FORCE IN THE UK, ON THE 6TH. OF JUNE 2O22

 

 

 

 

Dimensions



55 cm long (together blade and scabbard).
4.2 cm the width at largest point.

Condition

Very Good (some niello losses, small knife to the back is missing).

References

References:-

For almost identical Caucasian dagger please see
1-The Art of Kubachi, the book was published in Russian language in Leningrad, Published by Khudozhnik Rsfsr in 1976. Please see lot No.103 & 104 for other similar technique used in the making of gold and silver overlaid on ivory arms please see other lot Nos. 100,101&102.

2-Caucasian Arms From The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, The Art Of Weaponry In Caucasus And Transcaucasia in the 18th and 19th Centuries, Dr. Yurij A. Miller, Redaktor Ole Skott, Vaabenhistoriske, Aarboger 45, Devantier, ISBN 0108-707X. Lot Nos. 142, 144 & 157 catalouged on pages, 226, 228 & 224.

3- For other similar Kindjals please see
Searching for lost Relics by Isa Askhabove, Khamzat Askhabov, Cultural Heritage, 2016, ISBN 978-5-4444-5509-8.
Lots exhibited on Pages 52, 53, 108, 109, 206, 385, 359, 371& 377.

4-For another almost identical sold Kindjal, please see Sotheby’s Art of the Islamic World, London, 09TH April 2008, lot 283 page 321.