Tray of Jeweled Daggers

probably late 19th century

Not on view

This opulent array of daggers belongs to a large group of flamboyant gem-studded weapons that were probably made in Istanbul in the waning years of the Ottoman Empire. Their traditional shapes and luxurious materials were intended to evoke romantic notions of the exotic orient, Arabian Nights, or perhaps the sultan’s treasury. As most of these weapons are found today in American and European collections rather than in Turkish museums, they may have been made exclusively for Western tourists.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

Title: Tray of Jeweled Daggers
Date: probably late 19th century
Culture: Turkish
Medium: Steel, copper alloy, gold, silver, jade, rock crystal, gemstones, glass
Dimensions: Tray (23.232.1): L. 31 3/8 in. (79.7 cm); W. 18 1/2 in. (47 cm)
Classification: Miscellaneous
Credit Line: Gift of Giulia P. Morosini, in memory of her father, Giovanni P. Morosini, 1923
Object Number: 23.232.1, .3a, b, .4a, b, .6a, b–.8a, b
Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

More Artwork

In the same medium

From the same time and place

Dagger with Sheath, Steel, nephrite, gold, emerald, ruby, diamond, sapphire, jade, Hilt, Indian, Mughal; blade and sheath, Turkish, Ottoman — Dagger with Sheath
Hilt, Indian, Mughal; blade and sheath, Turkish, Ottoman
Hilt, 17th–18th century; blade and sheath, 19th century

Dagger with Sheath, Steel, nephrite, gold, silver, copper alloy emeralds, rubies, diamonds, ray skin, Indian — Dagger with Sheath
Indian
19th century

Tray of Jeweled Daggers, Steel, copper alloy, gold, silver, jade, rock crystal, gemstones, glass, Turkish — Tray of Jeweled Daggers
Turkish
probably late 19th century

Dagger with Sheath, Steel, jade, gold, emerald, diamond, ruby, Turkish — Dagger with Sheath
Turkish
19th century

Dagger (Kard) with Shealth, Steel, gold, rock crystal, ruby, emerald, Blade, Iranian; hilt and scabbard, Turkish — Dagger (Kard) with Shealth
Blade, Iranian; hilt and scabbard, Turkish
Blade, dated 1738–39; hilt and scabbard, 19th century

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.