An important Safavid damascened steel axe head 'tabar' , Iran, signed 'Ali Muhammed Reza, dated 1174AH/1761-2AD, each face chiselled with a raised lobed cartouche of interlacing split-palmettes and naturalistic floral motifs with a pendant cartouche enclosing an arabesque, the ground with finely carved scene of figures on horseback, dragons and buildings, the borders damascened, the underside with the name of Ali Muhammed Reza and date of 1174AH and floral design in gold, the top edge with scrolling arabesque on a gold ground, with inscription cartouche either side, 13.8cm long Inscriptions:"The Victory comes from God"(Qur'an 8:20) and "My Success is not but through God"(Qur'an 11:88) Possibly by a master-armorer, see A.S. Melikian-Chirvani, 'Islamic Arms and Armor,' (R. Elgood, ed. ), London 1979 pp. 117-135, 240-241; Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani, Arms and Armor from Iran, Germany, 2006, p.665.Please refer to department for condition report