Swords of Lucknow at the Wallace Collection
Swords of Lucknow
November 26, 2025 — March 22, 2026
Nearly a meter long and richly decorated with enamel and gold, these five swords reveal the splendor of 18th- and 19th-century Lucknow, a flourishing centre of power, artistry and cultural exchange.
They reflect the court of the Nawabs of Awadh, rulers of Iranian Shia heritage who presided over a diverse population and fostered a culture of luxury and ceremony. Swords such as these signified prestige, loyalty and masculine identity, serving as status symbols as well as weapons, and were also exchanged as diplomatic gifts.
Acquired by Sir Richard Wallace and the 4th Marquess of Hertford in the later 19th century, these swords also tell a story of European collecting at a time when military officers and dealers brought South Asian arms to the market.
This free display reinterprets part of the museum’s Asian, African and Ottoman collections, informed by new research for a catalogue to be published in February 2026.
