What: A shotel sword and sheath with a brass pommel, given by Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

The catalogue entries read: 

“Shotel forged from iron with carved wooden hilt. The double edged sword is sickle shaped with a central riser and is bevelled on either side towards the the edges.”

“Sheath for shotel made of leather, decorated on the outer surfaces with a layer of red saffian leather tooled with linear and cruciform decorations. The sheath is stitched centrally along one side with leather thread using a herring bone stitch. Around the top edge of the opening is a decorative binding of plaited leather. A leather belt with a large metal buckle is stitched to the top of the sheath. The end of the sheath is decorated with a cast brass pommel, lomi, which is pressed into the tip of the sheath and secured by a band of stitched green leather. The spherical pommel has three concentric bands and a small round finial.”

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1230.9.a and Af1868,1230.9.b
Date: 19thC(mid)
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
Acquisition date: 1868

What: A European sabre in a custom-made Ethiopian sheath, given by Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

The catalogue entry for the sabre reads: “Sabre with single edged, curved steel blade with central fuller. The hilt is made of iron with a leather [?] grip, scrolled quillian and iron pommel with small central boss.”

Inscription:
WCOLLE
SARGANT FAIRFAX

Curator’s comments: The sabre of European manufacture, is similar to those used by light infantry during the 19th century.

The catalogue entry for the sheath reads:

“Swords of European manufacture were highly valued and the quatlity of this sheath made for a Europen blade suggests that it was owned by someone of high rank. The fine filigree work lomita is a sign that the owner sucessfully pursued enemies in flight (Coates 1909) and would have been a reward for bravery. This particular style of sheath is often depicted in Ethiopian paintings of nobility.”

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1230.11.a and Af1868,1230.11.b
Date: 19thC
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
Acquisition date: 1868

What: Spear given by Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

The catalogue entry reads:

“Spear made of iron with long wooden handle. The spear head is leaf shaped with a central raised spine on both sides. The spear’s shaft is engraved with a herring-bone design and is bound in part with brass wire. The tip of the handle is bound with a wide, flat band of iron.”

Condition: Some vertical splits to the wooden handle.

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1230.16
Date: 19thC
Height: 227 cm
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh 
Acquisition date: 1868

What: Spear given by Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Henry Northcote

Where: The British Museum, Great Russell St, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3DG

The catalogue entry reads: “Spear made of iron, wood, wire (brass).”

Detail
Museum number: Af1868,1230.18
Height: 179 cm
Acquisition name: Sir Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh 
Acquisition date: 1868