Lot 245. The Hilt of the State Sword of Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala (1872-1949), North India, circa 1900; 8 ¾ ins. (22.5 cm.) high. Estimate USD 100,000 - USD 150,000. Price realised USD 150,000. © Christie's Images Ltd

Enamelled and set with diamonds, the lion-headed pommel set with ruby eyes, one side of the hilt set with a raised and molded crest of Kapurthala and the other side with the words ‘Kapurthala State’ set in diamonds.

Note: This magnificent hilt was produced for a ceremonial sword belonging to Maharaja Jagatjit Singh (r.1877-1947), the last ruler of Kapurthala, a former princely state in North India and one of the five Phulkian states of Punjab. Painted portraits and photographs of Indian princely rulers would often depict them with their swords clearly visible, as illustrated in the official Delhi Durbar portraits of 1903 and 1911. Maharaja Jagatjit Singh was present at the Delhi Durbar of 1903 where an extravagantly jeweled sword befitting the grand occasion, such as this, would have been used.  

The decoration on the hilt is an amalgation of traditional Indian and Western design influences. The hilt follows the Mughal tradition of enamelled and gem-encrusted blade weapons. The dark blue enamel used on the hilt is often seen on 19th century objects and usually associated with the enamelling centers of Punjab and Lahore in the North-West and Jaipur in western India. The scrolling diamond-set gold framework surrounding the enamelled coat of arms on the guard illustrate a strong European influence. The hilt with its pommel in the form of a tiger’s head is a known feature from Mughal swords and daggers. The Emperor Jahangir is portrayed in a c.1620 painting from the Minto Album, by the artist Bichitr, with tiger-head hilted knife suspended from his cummerbund (Leach, 1995, cat.no. 3.15, p. 387). There is a Mughal knife dating from the first half of the 17th century in the Al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait with its hilt carved in the form of a young lion or lioness’s head (inv.no.LNS 841; Kaoukji, 2017, cat.no.74, pp.208-209).