Punjabi Sipar shield

A steel shield (Spar) with silver and gold koftgari inlay, Sialkot, North India, 19th century.

Details of this item

Price

-

Status

Sold

Region

South Asia (India, Sri-Lanka)
(Punjab or Sialkot, Sikh-Empire, North- India)

Period

19th century

Materials

Steel, Iron, Silver, Gold

Price

Sold

Status

Sold

Region

South Asia (India, Sri-Lanka)

(Punjab or Sialkot, Sikh-Empire, North- India)

Period

19th century

Materials

Steel, Iron, Silver, Gold

Description

Steel shields from India and Persia are called ‘sipar’ and provide protection against arrows and sword strikes. Many footmen preferred the buckler, a small version of the ‘dhal’ or ‘sipar’ which was worn on the left hand, parrying sword blows from the opponent. Smaller shield were better manouverable and easy to use. The ‘sipar’ shields turned up in the 17th century and were in use until the 19th century.

This sipar is decorated with a fine inlay of silver and gold, a combination locally called ‘Ganga Jamuna’. The decoration shows a vivid arabesque pattern which features extremely fine detail. Similar work is often attributed to Sialkot, North-India. The shield rim is reinforced and toothed showing a silver design of a lozenge border, alternated with filled triangles.

In Sialkot and Lahore, the finest koftgari inlay work was made during the Sikh Empire in the Punjabi region around 1800 until the late 19th century.

Punjabi Sipar shield

Condition

Very good, some minor ware. Fabric on the backside missing.

Dimensions

Diameter: 34.5cm
Height: 4cm

Weight

1140g.

Comparable items

– Victoria & Albert collection London, acc.nr. 59-1907

Provenance

French private collection

Literature

– Ravinder Reddy Arms & Armour of India, Nepal & Sri Lanka, pg. 19 (lower shield on the display, 1886) and pg. 286-287.