Dagger with scabbard

Terms of Use
Usage Conditions ApplyAt A Glance
-
Period
18th century -
Geography
India -
Material
Steel; white jade inlaid with gold, rubies and emeralds, and velvet with gilt metal -
Dimension
W (overall): 36 cm (14 3/16 in) -
Accession Number
F1984.3a-b -
EDAN ID
edanmdm:fsg_F1984.3a-b
Object Details
-
School/Tradition
Mughal School -
Description
The dagger has a beautifully water steel blade with a gold palmette. Its hilt is made of white jade, deeply carved and inlaid with gold and set with rubies and emeralds. The gems create trefoil blossoms with ruby petals and emerald cores.The scabbard is covered with green velvet, now faded, and decorated with a gilt band that encircles the upper edge and runs vertically on the front. The chape and the locket are in white jade, embellished in the same manner as the hilt. The tip of the scabbard is damaged and several of the gold inlays and gems have been lost. -
Provenance
?-1984Dr. Stephen R. Turner, through Mrs. Milton (Lillian) Turner (1917-2009), method of acquisition unknown [1]From 1984Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Dr. Stephen R. Turner [2]Notes:[1] See letter from Thomas Lawton, Director, to Mrs. Milton (Lillian) Turner, dated July 20, 1983, copy in object file. The letter identifies Dr. Stephen R. Turner as the son of Mrs. Turner. The object was in the temporary custody of Mrs. Turner in Kenwood, Maryland prior to acquisition.Dr. Stephen R. Lawton is a medical doctor in Winston-Salem, NC and a collector of prints and Asian art.His parents, Mr. Milton Turner (1916-1981) and Mrs. Lillian Turner (1917-2009), were donors and benefactors of the Smithsonian Institution and resided in Washington, DC and Maryland.[2] See “Deed of Gift to the Freer Gallery of Art of the Smithsonian Institution,” dated December 30, 1983, 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)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) -
Previous custodian or owner
Dr. Stephen R. Turner -
Origin
India -
Credit Line
Gift of Dr. Stephen R. Turner -
Type
Weapon and Armament -
On View
Freer Gallery 01: Body Image: Arts of the Indian Subcontinent -
Restrictions and Rights
Usage Conditions Apply
There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.
The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.
Keep Exploring
-
Related Resources
-
Date
-
Name
-
Place
-
Topic
-
Culture
-
Object Type
-
On View