‡ AN INDIAN SWORD WITH ENAMELLED SILVER MOUNTS... Lot 8

‡ AN INDIAN SWORD WITH ENAMELLED SILVER MOUNTS (SHAMSHIR), MID-19TH CENTURY, POSSIBLY LUCKNOW with curved blade of finely watered steel, silver hilt cast in low relief, comprising a pair of langets with pierced terminals, quillons with monsterhead terminals, integral grip and pommel en suite with the quillon terminals, decorated throughout in polychrome enamels with an elaborate framework enclosing foliage inhabited by exotic birds, in its red velvet-covered wooden scabbard (rubbed) with large silver chape and two suspension bands each decorated in polychrome enamel en suite with the hilt 81.5 cm; 32 1/8 in blade By the late 18th Century Lucknow had become famous for its basse taille enamel, a tradition that was revived in the mid-19th century when a number of arms decorated in this manner were included in the Great Exhibition in London. See Missillier and Ricketts 1988, p. 132