ISLAMIC AND ORIENTAL ARMS AND ARMOUR

Anjali Devidayal

“As a source of images of the finest Asian weapons, this book is unrivaled and will be an indispensable resource for anyone interested in the subject in the future.” Launched in London in October 2013, Islamic and Oriental Arms and Armour is a stunning 400 page book that includes over 850 colour and 150 black and white illustrations and concise descriptions of Islamic and Oriental daggers, swords, firearms and armour that also make up the four sections of the book. The first comprehensive compendium to be published on the subject, the book is a visual treat for novices and connoisseurs alike, and has been produced by Robert Hales a recognised authority on the subject. Hales is a respected dealer, collector and connoisseur on the subject, based in London. Suitably subtitled A Lifetime’s Passion, the book contains objects that have passed through his hands over a career that spans over forty years. Robert Hales’ interest in the subject was sparked during a road trip when, at the age of 21, he travelled from London overland to Nepal through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan through India to Kathmandu and bought his first antique weapon in Kabul in 1966. By the time he returned to London, travelling south through Baluchistan, Southern Iran and on to the Middle East, Jerusalem and Petra, the path to a career as a dealer was set. For 27 years Robert Hales ran a gallery in London, dealing and collecting and although he has shut down the gallery, his knowledge and passion for the subject keep him connected to the exclusive trade where he continues to unearth, collect and deal in Islamic and Oriental arms and armour during his retirement. The wide range of styles and number of rare objects published in the book showcase a variety of objects originating from Islamic and Hindu cultures and beyond including Russia, China, Egypt, Burma, Turkey, Iran and the Far East where Hales began a love affair for the Indonesian kris (an asymmetrical dagger with a distinctive wavy blade). Besides displaying a diversity of techniques and craftsmanship from different periods and regions, several objects carry historical and aesthetic narratives and a significant number of unique objects from India can be seen in each of the four sections of the book. This owes to the historical Anglo Indian connection which led to a number of particularly important pieces from India finding their way to Britain. The section on daggers is the largest category with examples of jade hilts carved or inlaid with precious stones that were especially popular in Mughal India while the section on swords contains examples of early Islamic swords with straight blades, a style that persists today in most of Oman and the Yemen, the Sudan, Tibet and Southern India. The section on guns contains the finest gun belonging to the great Indian hero Tipu Sultan bearing his emblem of a tiger and its stripes (bubris), the trademark on most of his firearms. Finally, the section on armour contains fine examples of mail shirts made in the 18th and 19th century in India with the decorative hazar-mukhi (‘thousand nail’) technique, whereby tiny copper pins with gilt heads were used in decorative patterns to secure fabric, usually velvet, on armour or shields, was predominantly employed in Rajasthan and other regions of India. Used mostly as statements of wealth, status and power of the owner or for magical properties ascribed to them, rather than in anger, most of the objects were made in court workshops by skilled master craftsmen who had access to the finest materials including gold, silver, ivory and precious and semi-precious jewels. This resulted in the exquisite pieces seen in the book that remain testament to some of the finest examples of Islamic and Oriental art. Hales’ foresight in keeping a photographic record of several objects that passed through his hands has resulted in an extensive archive that has become one of the richest and most exhaustive of its kind, contributing greatly to the visual scholarship on the subject. By virtue of the number of rare pieces illustrated in the book as well as the hitherto unpublished expert knowledge on some objects such as the research on Burmese weapons by Noel Singer ensures that it goes down as an important teaching resource on the subject. The appeal of this book extends across audiences and has been received by the museum, collecting and dealing community with equal enthusiasm. Donald J. La Rocca, Curator, Department of Arms and Armour, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York perfectly sums up the value of the book amongst the community of enthusiasts interested in the subject.