with a slightly curved steel blade, the blade with chiselled flowers and traces of gilding, one side of the scabbard decorated with repoussé floral scrolls, the other with hunting scenes, the hilt decorated with flower scrolls, two loops affixed to the sheath through pronounced stylised lions' heads.

Note: he attribution to Kutch is relatively recent scholarly development. A similar shamshir is in the National Museum, New Delhi, where it is attributed to Karnataka (E. Jaiwant Paul, Arms and Armour: Traditional Weapons of India, Delhi, 2005, pp.135-6). Similar examples were sold at Bonham's, London, 7 October 2010, lot 371, and Christie's, London, 21 April 2016, lot 39.

Sotheby's. Arts of the Islamic World, London, 25 Apr 2018, 10:30 AM