AN OTTOMAN SWORD (SHAMSHIR), TURKEY, 19TH CEN... Lot n° 98

AN OTTOMAN SWORD (SHAMSHIR), TURKEY, 19TH CENTURY with curved single-edged blade of wootz steel, encrusted with gold over the forte on each face with calligraphic cartouches and traditional designs, silver hilt cast and chased in low relief with vines and trophies-of-music in foliate frames all against a finely matted ground, a pair of rhinoceros horn grip-scales shaped for the fingers and rising to a bulbous pommel, in its leather-covered wooden scabbard with large silver locket, chape and two middle-bands, all cast and chased in low relief en suite with the hilt, and the two bands each with a ring for suspension, 78.3 cm blade Provenance On loan to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (1936-2022), inv. no. 54-264 The inscriptions include, cartouches on the blade: 'ma sha'a allah' (Whatsoever God wills), and 'tawakkaltu 'ala allah' (I put my trust in God), in the six-pointed star 'ya fattah' (O Conqueror!), in the large, teardrop cartouche 'ma sha'a allah' ('Whatsover God wills), in the oblong cartouche 'bismallah sunqur' (In the Name of God. Sunqur).