Saddle Axe (tabarzin)

Culture Northern Indian

Dateearly 1800s

Mediumsteel, silver, brass, wood

Dimensions58 × 8.5 cm (22 13/16 × 3 3/8 in.), 1 lb, 12 oz (weight)

ClassificationsArms and Armor

Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection

Terms

Object number2014.463

DescriptionSmall, hatchet-shaped head of steel, the blade outwardly curving along the flattened upper and lower edges, with a gently curving cutting edge. The blade section is rather rectangular becoming oblong as it reaches the integral body of the head. This has a flattened hammer-face at the rear, set off from the head by a narrow sunken band on both faces. The lateral faces of the head are decorated with a lobated cartouche and flowers, in a maze of leafed tendrils, all rendered in silver koftgari. The perimeters of the faces are framed by running tendril volutes, and the cutting edge is plain and polished. Top and bottom edges are decorated with ascendent floral motives. The hammer face has four triangles pointed toward one another, with a central X framing of silver, and each triangle has a leaved motif. There is some cracking on the hammer face. All grounds are finely scratched and bright.

The head is pierced with a slightly oval hole for the shaft. This is brown now faded wood, and once had a tapering, spiked finial above (now lost). This was apparently secured to a now-broken threaded post affixed to a long, flat strip of iron, inserted into a corresponding slot cut into the shaft axis, parallel with the plane of the head. This strip is secured by six transverse iron rivets spaced equally over the upper two-thirds of the shaft. These rivets are fitted with decorative brass washers of four-petalled floral shape, with pointed ends, each punched with a small hole. (Cf. this structure to jerid 2014.298) The shaft is of circular section, and expands towards its base. This has a turned, oblate spheroidal end with a necked base and narrow raised moulding at the shaft base.
ProvenanceAnonymous gift to the Museum on February 1, 1934. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.

On View

Not on view

Collections