Knife made for Jahangir, partially of meteoric iron

Object Details

• Artist

  Ustad Daud

• School/Tradition

  Mughal school

• Label

  "At dawn a tremendous noise arose in the east. It was so terrifying that it nearly frightened the inhabitants out of their skins. Then, in the midst of tumultuous noise, something bright fell to the earth from above...."

  From the Jahangirnama (1605-24)

  Thus did Emperor Jahangir describe a meteor that landed within his kingdom in April 1621. His fascination with unusual natural events--and his power to harness their aura--is revealed by this dagger's blade, forged from the glittering meteorite. Jahangir further noted that the blade "cut beautifully, as well as the very best swords."

• Provenance

  1621-?

  Jahangir (1569-1627; reign 1605-1627) [1]

  ?-?

  Ownership information unknown

  ?-1955

  Malek M. Sahami (1926-1997), method of acquisition unknown [2]

  From 1955

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Malek M. Sahami [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See the inscription on the spine of the blade, starting at the edge of the handle, reads: "There fell in the time of Jahangir Shah [/] From lightening-iron, a lightening-like, precious piece [/] Jahangir, [son of] Akbar ordered to make of that [/] Two swords, this knife and a dagger. [/] In the year 1030 [1621 A.D.] In the year 16 [of Jahangir's accession].

  146." Out of the four weapons mentioned, only this knife is known to have survived. The number 146 at the end must be the number of an inventory (of the emperor or artist). See also object record sheet remarks by Esin Atil and Glenn Lowry, October 1985, p. 30, copy in object file. In 1985, Esin Atil and Glenn Lowry suggest that the number “may also refer to the knife’s metal content.”

  See also the gold inlay in the shape of an umbrella on one side of the blade, which is possibly the imperial seal of Jahangir. Called the “imperial parasol” by Carol Radcliffe Bolon in her object record sheet remark from 1993, p. 31, copy in object file.

  See also Alexander Rogers (translator), “The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī, or, Memoirs of Jahāngīr,” ed. Henry Beveridge (London: Royal Asiatic Society, 1909-1914), vol. 2, pp. 204-205. In the memoirs of Jahangir, he includes an account of when the meteorite fell from the sky on about April 10, 1621. Jahangir ordered Muhammad Sa’id, a tax collector of Jullunder, to retrieve the meteorite and then for Master Daud to make a sword, a dagger, and a knife from the meteorite.

  See also object record sheet remark by Edward P. Henderson, titled “[H.] Blochmann, 1869 quote from Iqbalnamak i Jahangiri [Iqbal Nama-i-Jahangiri] the following,” 1956, p. 12, copy in object file. Ustad Daud was well known at that time for making excellent sword blades.

  [2] See letter from Richard Ettinghausen to Malek M. Sahami, Esq., dated August 24, 1955, copy in object file. According to the letter, the object was on display in the meteorite display at the United States National Museum (now the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History) when Malek M. Sahami, Esq., offered the object to Richard Ettinghausen while in-person.

  Malek M. Sahami (1926-1997) was an Iranian-born collector and attorney in Washington, DC.

  [3] See object file for copy of Malek M. Sahami, Esq., invoice to Freer Gallery of Art, dated November 2, 1955, and marked approved on November 2, 1955, copy in object file.

  Research updated March 14, 2023

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Body Image (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  Arts of the Indian Subcontinent and the Himalayas (October 16, 2004 to January 3, 2016)

  South and South East Asian Art (May 9, 1993 to February 7, 2000)

  Wonders of Creation, Oddities of Existence: An Exhibition in Celebration of Halley's Comet (February 28, 1986 to October 27, 1986)

  Islamic Metalwork in the Freer Gallery of Art (September 27, 1985 to November 17, 1986)

  The Arts of South Asia (May 13, 1985 to December 2, 1985)

  Special Exhibition Afghanistan (September 3, 1963 to June 5, 1964)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Jahangir جهانگیر (1569-1627)

  Malek M. Sahami (1926-1997)

• Origin

  India

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Weapon and Armament

• On View

  Freer Gallery 01: Body Image: Arts of the Indian Subcontinent

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1620s

• Name

  Sahami, Malek M., Jahangir

• Place

  India

• Topic

  South Asian and Himalayan Art, Gold, Art, Inlay (process), Mughal dynasty (1526 - 1858), Iron

• Culture

  Himalayan peoples, South Asians

• Object Type

  Weapons, Armor (protective wear)

• On View

  Yes