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ARTS OF THE ORIENTAL WARRIOR SEPTEMBER 2018 PARIS +44 (0)7866 424 803 [email protected] runjeetsingh.com INTRODUCTION This catalogue accompanies As the title of my show I hope readers of the My heartfelt thanks go to my first solo exhibition in suggests, I want to catalogue, and those who the many people who have Paris and is entitled Arts des demonstrate not only the visit the exhibition, will worked with me behind the Guerriers d’Orient—Arts of artistic qualities of these find the information I have scenes and who make such the Oriental Warrior. I will implements of war but also provided to be useful and events and publications so be exhibiting alongside some that arms and armour were enjoy the aesthetics of these successful. of the world’s best tribal in some cases presentation visually striking objects (often dealers at the well-known fair items or status symbols for an important reason for their Runjeet Singh Parcours des Mondes which owners who were often inclusion). is accumulating a strong powerful and important. following in the Asian art market. Ce catalogue accompagne Comme le titre de mon J'espère que les lecteurs de Mes sincères remerciements ma première exposition exposition le suggère, je veux ce catalogue, ainsi que ceux aux nombreuses personnes solo à Paris et s'intitule Arts non seulement mettre en qui visiteront l'exposition, en qui ont travaillé avec moi des Guerriers d'Orient – avant les qualités artistiques trouveront les informations en coulisses et qui font le Art of the Oriental Warrior. de ces équipements militaires, utiles et apprécieront succès de tels évènements et Je m'apprête à exposer mais aussi le fait que les l'esthétique de ces objets au publications. aux côtés de certains des armes et armures pouvaient visuel saisissant (souvent une meilleurs marchands d'art être de véritables instruments raison importante de leur Runjeet Singh ethnique du monde à la de représentation et inclusion ici). célèbre foire Parcours des symboles de statut pour Mondes, qui rassemble leurs propriétaires, souvent de nombreux adeptes du puissants et importants. marché des arts asiatiques. CONTENTS Daggers 5 Swords 28 Polearms 51 Equestrian 56 Objects 69 Armour 72 Written by Runjeet Singh Edited by Matthew Forde French translation by Marina Viallon September 2018 All Prices On Request 6 1 SCISSOR KATAR Katars are already interesting purchased at the 1867 Universal More examples of this scarce weapons but some, like this scissor Exhibition held in Paris1 and now weapon-type can be found in Arms & Armour at the Jaipur Court PUNJAB, INDIA (or kenchi) katar, hold a surprise: resides in the Victoria and Albert by squeezing the bars that form the Museum. However, Thomas Holbein Robert Elgood3 and in Splendours 19TH CENTURY grip causes the single blade to Hendley’s 1892 book2 shows a of the Subcontinent: A Prince’s Tour instantly split into two and reveal tulwar hilt with symmetrical flower of India 1875–6 by Kajal Meghani4 OVERALL 420 MM (16.5") a centrally placed third. Such a heads, crossed in the middle—much (items of which are currently mechanism suggests that this katar like the flowers on one of the side on show in the Queen’s Gallery, was an expensive and high status bars of this katar. This hilt is said Buckingham Palace). product, not just for the owner to be from Kotri which is now in but also for the weaponsmith that southern Pakistan. Interestingly, the made it. Further evidence of this is decoration on this katar is not the References the high quality gold koftgari that same on both sides—the maker has 1. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/ decorates the dagger in densely obviously taken the opportunity to O451846/cigar-stand intricate patterns—the natural further display his skill by using many 2. T. H. Hendley, Damascening on Steel or motifs complementing the geometric different floral arrangements and Iron as Practised in India, W. Griggs & designs just as the curves in the patterns. Sons, 1892, plate 3. construction complement the angular 3. R. Elgood, Arms & Armour at the Jaipur elements. It is for these reasons that this Court: The Royal Collection, Niyogi Books, 2015. example is far superior to most that 4. K. Meghani, Splendours of the This koftgari is comparable to are known to us. Subcontinent: a Prince’s Tour of India, work that came from Sialkot (now 1875–6, Royal Collection Trust, 2017. in northern Pakistan), such as can be seen in a cigar holder that was KATAR À CISEAUX Les katars sont en soit des armes en 1867 à l’Exposition Universelle On peut trouver d’autres exemples fort intéressantes, mais certains, de Paris1 et à présent conservé de ce type d’arme peu répandu dans Arms & Armour at the Jaipur Court PENDJAB, INDE comme ce katar à ciseaux (ou au Victoria and Albert Museum. kenchi), réservent une surprise : Cependant Thomas Holbein, par Robert Elgood3 ainsi que dans XIXE SIÈCLE en pressant les barres parallèles dans son livre de 1892,2 présente Splendours of the Subcontinent: A formant la poignée la lame centrale également une garde de tulwar Prince’s Tour of India 1875–6 par Kajal LONGUEUR 420 MM (16.5") s’ouvre en deux, révélant une décorée de fleurs symétriques, Meghani4 (objets en ce moment troisième placée en son centre. s’entrelaçant au centre, un motif présentés à la Queen’s Gallery à Un tel mécanisme suggère que ce très similaire à celui présent sur Buckingham Palace). katar était un objet important et l’une des barrettes latérales de ce de grand prix, non seulement pour katar. Cette garde est dite provenir son propriétaire mais aussi pour le de Kotri, de nos jours au sud du References forgeron à l’origine de sa fabrication. Pakistan. Il est aussi intéressant de 1. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/ Un autre indice de ce statut est la noter que la décoration de ce katar O451846/cigar-stand grande qualité de la damasquinure n’est pas identique sur ses deux 2. T. H. Hendley, Damascening on Steel or d’or de type koftgari, décorant la côtés — l’artiste ayant visiblement Iron as Practised in India, W. Griggs & dague de délicats motifs entrelacés saisi l’opportunité de démontrer ses Sons, 1892, plate 3. — les ornements végétaux capacités en utilisant différent motifs 3. R. Elgood, Arms & Armour at the Jaipur complétant les motifs géométriques et arrangements floraux. Court: The Royal Collection, Niyogi Books, 2015. tout comme les courbes de l’objet 4. K. Meghani, Splendours of the en contrebalancent les éléments C’est pour ces raisons que nous Subcontinent: a Prince’s Tour of India, angulaires. estimons cet exemplaire très 1875–6, Royal Collection Trust, 2017. supérieur à la plupart de ceux qui Ce travail de koftgari est comparable nous sont connus. à celui venant de Sialkot (au nord du Pakistan actuel), comme il est visible sur un fume-cigare acquit 10 2 “BIDRIESQUE” KATAR Fascinatingly, the maker of this fine Inside and out, the katar’s concave converges with two others set at katar seems to have been influenced side-bars show detailed, graceful angles before forming the tip. All of DECCAN, INDIA by Bidriware—a type of highly valued poppy flowers residing atop this combines to create a pleasing decoration developed exclusively in meandering stems that also offer overall visual geometry. MID-TO-LATE 17TH CENTURY the Deccani city of Bidar. In Bidriware, the eye finely serrated leaves; while an alloy of copper, darkened by the bars’ edges are punctuated by As well as the archer’s ring, this OVERALL 420 MM (17.25") the inclusion of zinc and made small quatrefoils arranged at regular katar can be compared to two black through oxidisation is used intervals. Such tiny flowers can also more pieces catalogued in Precious as a vehicle to contrast against the be found on a Deccani mid-17th Indian Weapons and other Princely brightness of the silver which is inlaid century archer’s ring in the al-Sabah Accoutrements6—both katars that into in. Copper would be too soft for Collection and depicted in the book have styles influenced by Bidriware a weapon so iron has been used to Precious Indian Weapons and other and similar iris flowers. The book’s make this katar, and the problem of Princely Accoutrements by Salam author dates both to the late 17th how to mimic Bidriware’s blackness Kaoukji5. century so it is safe to apply a similar has been solved by chiselling material dating to this katar too. away before setting a very hard black The fine blade is made of desirable lakh (a kind of pitch of an unknown wootz steel and has been rendered recipe) into the resulting recesses. in two heights: the lower of which References The upper areas of iron were then forms the interior and shows the 5. S. Kaoukji, Precious Indian Weapons and highly polished to mimic the lustre desirable patterns possessed by other Princely Accoutrements (the al- of silver. The effect is aesthetically wootz steel; while the higher forms Sabah Collection), Thames and Hudson Ltd, 2017, cat 23 p.79 and cat.141, p.390. impressive. the edges and tip, and has been 6. polished bright. The forte has been S. Kaoukji, Precious Indian Weapons and other Princely Accoutrements (the al- This masterful juxtaposition of colour chiselled to show a pendant trefoil Sabah Collection), Thames and Hudson is matched in skill by the artistic sitting upon a slim medial ridge Ltd, 2017, cat 23 p.79 and cat.24, p.80. elements that complement it. that sweeps down the blade and KATAR « BIDRIESQUE » Il est fascinant d’observer que le A l’extérieur et à l’intérieur des Tous ces éléments se combinent fabricant de ce très beau katar barrettes latérales du katar, de pour créer un ensemble DECCAN, INDE semble avoir été influencé par le délicates fleurs de pavot, finement géométrique fort plaisant Bidriware, un type de décoration réalisées, se déploient à l’extrémité visuellement.