† AN IMPERIAL CEREMONIAL DAGGER WITH A WHITE JADE MUGHAL HILT AND A TIANQI AND QIANGJIN LACQUER SCABBARD, QIANLONG PERIOD

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† AN IMPERIAL CEREMONIAL DAGGER WITH A WHITE JADE MUGHAL HILT AND A TIANQI AND QIANGJIN LACQUER SCABBARD, QIANLONG PERIOD Expert’s note The decoration of the scabbard combines the tianqi (填漆) and qiangjin (戗金) techniques. Tianqi refers to designs filled with contrasting colored lacquers and polished flush with the surrounding ground, while qiangjin describes fine incised lines filled with gold. Here, the black, yellow, and green lotus decoration is executed in tianqi against the red lacquer ground and further enhanced by delicate gold-filled outlines in qiangjin, creating a particularly rich polychrome and gilt effect. China, 1736-1795. The white jade dagger handle is neatly carved with floral bands around the rims. The double-edged steel blade is intricately inlaid in gold and silver with geometric triangular bands extending along the center. The scabbard is finely decorated with scrolling lotus in black, yellow, and green, outlined in gilt against a red lacquer ground. The mouth and tip of the scabbard are mounted with sharply cast gilt copper alloy fittings, similarly decorated with lotus designs in high relief. Dimensions: Length 35.2 cm The present dagger is particularly noteworthy for its combination of three luxurious materials, finely carved nephrite jade, elaborately decorated lacquer, and finely cast gilt bronze fittings, all reflecting the Qianlong Emperor’s appreciation for both foreign-inspired design and exceptional craftsmanship. An avid collector of swords, Qianlong continued the Manchu preference for leng bingqi (cold weapons), such as daggers, swords and sabers, despite the availability of firearms. During the Qianlong period, Mughal jade became highly admired at the Qing court, and numerous jade objects in this distinctive style were commissioned for the imperial collection. This fascination intensified after around 1760, when increased access to high-quality nephrite jade allowed court artisans to create refined interpretations of Indo-Islamic models. Literature comparison: Compare a related saber-like knife with green-lacquered sheath painted with a floral design in gold tracery, dated Qing dynasty, 94 cm long, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Armaments and Military Provisions, Hong Kong, 2008, p. 156, no. 159; and a related dagger with similar white jade hilt and lacquered sheath, dated Qing dynasty, 50 cm long, published ibid., p. 175, no. 180. Compare a related sheath and dagger, dated to the Jiaqing period, 33 cm long, in the British Museum, registration number 1878,1230.880.a. Compare a related jade hilt carved with similar floral decoration, Mughal or Deccan, dated 18th-19th century, 34.6 cm long, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 36.25.706. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 7 October 2009, lot 1735 Price: HKD 860,000 or approx. EUR 147,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Expert remark: Compare the related materials used for this sword, including the Mughal-style jade for the hilt, lacquer for the scabbard, and gilt-bronze fittings. 13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer's premium - only for buyers within the EU.

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