AN ITALIAN BROADSWORD FROM THE MAMLUK ARSENAL IN ALEXANDRIA, CHRISTIE'S, JULY 5th
posted by editor@armsandarmoruauctions.com at 2018-06-27 11:50:00
Among the rarest and most sought after swords are those from Maluk arsenal in Alexandria. Christie’s has one such example on July the 4th carrying and estimate of 200,000-300,000 sterling. These inscribed swords were presented as diplomatic gifts to the mamluk sultan Mailik Mu’ayyad Abu’l-Nasr Shaykh in 1419 by King Janus of Cyprus.
In 1517 the Ottoman Empire removed these swords to Istanbul following their defeat of the Mamluks Some were subsequently sold on the private market following world war I. They are, not surprisingly, a holy grail of collectors given the, antiquity, the historical context and the relatively fine condition these swords tend to have.
posted at: 2018-06-27 11:50:00, last updated: 2018-06-27 12:07:52