An exceptional, rare Tibetan sword Dating: early 16th Century Provenance: Tibet Straight, double-edged blade, slightly ribbed at the centre, featuring superficial flaking; wooden grip with fish skin covering and a brass band, incomplete quillon, iron pommel in two pieces, the front one pierced with five circles and riveted to the smooth, rear one. Beautiful, wooden scabbard covered with leather and shark skin, with iron border and central raiser, featuring brass decorations at the front surface, richly pierced and engraved; the rear one, smooth, slightly relieved at the centre and decorated with five iron bands. Two suspension rings. We have knowledge of four or five similar swords only: one at the National Museum of Liverpool (16 6 05 74), one at The Victoria & Albert Museum (IM 290 1907) one in The Namgung Monastary. Another, with iron grip, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; all of them similar, for typology, to the finely gilt, iron sword kept in the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds (XXVIS 295). Dimensions: length 82 cm.