LONDON.- This month, a new and comprehensive catalogue of arms and armour - from bejewelled weapons to gold-embellished armour - will be made available as a beautifully illustrated hardback book.

The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Arms and Armour from Asia, Africa and the Ottoman World features over 1200 objects across 550 pages, complete with information on materials and provenance, as well as many richly detailed photographs.

From an Iranian helmet in the form of a demon’s head to a Mughal dagger inlaid with diamonds, emeralds and rubies and an Indian sword in the style of an ascetic’s crutch, the book spans arms, armour and objects from the 15th century to the mid-19th century.

It is the first time ever the Wallace Collection’s holding of arms, armour and decorative arts from beyond Western Europe has been catalogued in such a way.
The artistic triumph and technical functionality that these objects embody will give readers a unique window into history, with a close-up look at civilisations through the incredible arms and armour they adorned themselves with.

The pieces are drawn from Africa, Asia and the Ottoman world, primarily the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Most were acquired by Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford (1800–1870) and Sir Richard Wallace (1818–1890), the art collector who bequeathed his collection to the nation. A history of how many of these objects were collected is covered in this book.

Appearing on the European art market, these objects’ journeys were closely bound up with diplomatic exchange, trade and colonial expansion, particularly into India, Southeast Asia and North Africa.

Many of these objects are on display at the Wallace Collection and are also loaned out to galleries and museums around the world. Now, centuries of human history can be enjoyed and viewed from home and libraries with this detailed, thorough and wonderfully illustrated volume.

Stories behind their manufacture include a 19th century kris dagger from Java with its distinctive wavy-edged blade. Forged from meteoric iron at the palace of Surakata, it bears a pseudo-inscription of a repeated letter, strongly suggesting it was made for the export market.

Up-close details are investigated such as an Iranian shamshir by Husayn Sayyid Kuchaka which amusingly bears the Persian couplet “Its tip is sharper than Plato’s wit” on its elegant steel blade.

An object’s provenance, and the fascinating history that comes from objects passing through several hands, is also explored. One, a Caucasian dagger known as a kindjal, might even have been handled by Napoleon Bonaparte. According to the 1865 sale catalogue, it was gifted to the Emperor by a Circassian prince but was reportedly turned down as it lacked accompanying documentation.

These objects, and many more, are all brought together for the first time as a must-have for history lovers and arms and armour enthusiasts.


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