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Spearhead: O.36a-1879

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Maker: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Straight steel double edged triangular blade, with a medial rib running full length, and a reinforced section at the point. At the base of the blade are applied panels shaped with crescents and diamonds, extended into two downward pointing wings at the base, all decorated with flowers and dots in silver koftgari. The blade is attached through a serrated edged disc to heavy tubular socket with a reinforcing band round the base. The long tang of the blade protrudes through this. The surface is stained pitted

Notes

History note: Ganjam. Probably from the Tanjore armoury, broken up in 1860 (see documentation: Elgood 2004)

Legal notes

Given by Robert Taylor, MA

Measurements and weight

Blade Length: 56 cm
Blade Width Max: 9.5 cm
Overall Length: 84 cm
Weight: 1160 g

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1879) by Taylor, Robert, MA

Dating

17th Century-18th Century#
Circa 1600 CE - 1800 CE

Note

Difficult to say which is the original no 36, probably this one. Alternatively one could be 20, Cambridge 1879: 8 ‘spear (original bamboo shaft)’ having lost its shaft.

Components of the work

Blade composed of steel

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: 36
  • Method of creation: Inscribed
  • Type: Tag
  • Text: 36
  • Method of creation: Printed
  • Type: Label

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: O.36a-1879
Primary reference Number: 158344
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Thursday 17 June 2021 Last processed: Thursday 7 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Spearhead" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/158344 Accessed: 2024-11-17 21:57:30

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/158344 |title=Spearhead |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-17 21:57:30|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-158344

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