From the collection of Dr. Leo S. Figiel a unique 19th C. Indian kard dagger with watered steel blade

Status: Sold · Region: India · Type: Other

From the renowned collection of Dr. Leo S. Figiel, this ancient weapon as well as others in our collection was purchased directly from the estate of the namesake. The piece features a fine, large watered steel blade with an intriguing, faceted handle made of thin sections of exotic hard-woods, mounted alternately with disks. The scabbard particularly captivates, consisting of sculpted leather over wood with a subtle, elephantine countenance. The antique weapon in its entirety extends 14 inches in length with a blade of 9.5 inches. This type of piece is part of the permanent collection at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Dr. Figiel was the esteemed author of “On Damascus Steel”, the classic 1992 reference work fea-turing stunning examples of watered steel of which were sold in the prominent Butterfields sale in 1998. This particular piece was purchased prior to the publication of the book and aforemen-tioned auction in the late 1990s, yet it exemplifies the meticulous care that Dr. Figiel placed in curating his pieces.

Developed originally in India, wootz steel technology features a system of isolating micro carbides within a matrix of tempered martensite. The ancient metalwork specialist Herbert Maryon of the British Museum in London described the metal technique as: “the undulations of the steel resemble a net across running water … [the pattern] waved like watered silk… it was mottled like the grains of yellow sand.” With roots in the Tamil Nudu region of the sub- continent, the technology was considered the most effective in the world for maximizing armor piercing potential. The indigenous Indian population presented the invading armies of Alexander the Great with tribute ingots of wootz around 300 B.C. From there, the process was refined over time throughout the world in Damascus, Syria; continental Europe; and later Great Britain, where the process underpinned the Industrial Revolution that began in the 18th century. The Rajahs of India submitted tulwars, shamshirs, khanjars, in addition to other ancient swords and daggers manufactured with wootz to the International Exhibition of 1851 and 1862, whereby the pieces become coveted for the quality of their steel.

In addition to edged weapons wootz steel was used in the manufacture of many types of metalwork as well, including armor sets such as char ainas (or Four mirror), bazubands made with dark Persian Khorassan wootz are noted from the period of the Safavid Empire and throughout the Qajar period. Furthermore, axes or tabars and tabarzins, in addition to caligraphy scissors were made from wootz steel.

The Mughal used this weapon regularly for its armor piercing capabilities in their battles with Safavid Iran and the Ottoman Empire for control of the region. Each side attempted to gain an advantage over the other with the advent of new technological innovations in warfare. By the 19th century, when the British began to accumulate more power and territory on the sub-continent, the domains held by Mughal began to erode.

Welch, Stuart Cary India: Art and Culture, 1300–1900. Exhibition catalogue.. New York: Met-ropolitan Museum of Art, 1986.