Weapons made by some of history’s greatest craftsmen are among the top items at a sale of arms from the Mohammed Khalil Collection in London on May 21, 2024.
The collection is considered one of the finest assemblies of Islamic arms in private hands.
Bonhams are handling the 46-lot auction, which includes arms and armour from across the Islamic world.
There is military equipment from the Mamluk, Seljuk, Ottoman, and Mughal kingdoms among others with dates spanning the 11th to 19th centuries.
Among the swords, daggers, shields, suits of armour, and helmets the top items by estimate are stunning swords.
An Ottoman watered-steel sword with gold inlay dating to the 16th and 17th-centuries carries an estimate of £60,000 to £80,000. Cataloguer Gabriella Fernandes called it “an exceptional example of 16th century Ottoman craftsmanship.”
This single-edged Ilkhanid sword is beautiful and deadly.
A 14th-century Ilkhanid or Timurid steel sword (from modern Iran) is also tipped to raise that amount. It is nearly a metre long.
There is a very developed market for historic weapons and armour.
The most valuable weapons are usually those associated with famous warriors.
A tachi Samurai sword owned by Fukushima Masanori, a 17th century warlord, has been valued at $105 million dollars. At auction, a sword owned by the Tipu Sultan of India sold last year for $17.3 million. An 18th-century Chinese sabre probably owned by an emperor realised $7.7 million at auction in 2008. A gold sword owned by Napoleon made $6.8 million at auction.
The Bonhams Mohammed Khalil Collection of Islamic Arms and Armour sale takes place in London on May 21. The catalogue is online now.
