Combination Battle Axe/Matchlock/Dagger, Indo-Persian, 18th C

Description

Skillfully crafted of steel featuring 5 ½” wide axe blade of crescent shape; round
smoothbore 9 7/8″ matchlock barrel of approximately 12mm caliber with fixed front blade
sight and two ramrod thimbles and inserted steel ramrod; decorated pivoting pan cover.
Unscrewing from the barrel is a dagger with solid brass elephant head pommel and 9 3/8″
diamond-section blade. At the opposite end is a 2 ½” diamond-section spike. The axe
blade, pan cover, and much of the shaft and barrel are decorated with silver koftgari work
depicting scrolling foliage and elephants. On the opposite side from the axe blade is a
solid brass figure of a kneeling boy in prayer. Very fine workmanship; in very good
condition with minor losses and wear to silver inlay. Overall length 23″ with dagger
inserted. Similar example (which we once owned) illustrated in “Blades and Barrels”, by
H. Gordon Frost, Plate #287, but this example much nicer! Another similar example
illustrated in “Islamic Weapons, Maghrib to Moghul”, by Anthony Tirri, Figure 257A, but
again the example offered here is much better!