Shah Jahan’s personal dagger dating back to 1629-30 is to be auctioned in London by international fine art auctioneers and valuers, Bonham. The London based Auction House got the Mughal emperor’s dagger from late Jacques Desenfans collection, who spent more than five decades collecting Islamic, Indian and south-east Asian artefacts. The auction of the gold encrusted dagger is to take place in London on Thursday, 10th April 2008.

 

William Dalrymple the noted History writer, writing in the Bonham magazine mentioned that Emperor Shah Jahan’s love for precious and beautiful objects was something on which most of the travelers of the time have commented on. The blade of the dagger also has inscriptions in the nasta’liq script which includes Shah Jahan’s official titles, date and place of birth and the honorific parasol.

 

The dagger of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan is expected to attract bids of around £ 300,000 to 500,000. Shah Jahan is renowned for his love for art and architecture in history. He was the Mughal emperor who built the famous Taj Mahal in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz and also got the elegant peacock throne created.