A new book by Dr. manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani, ,Antique Oriental and Arab Weapons and Armour: The Streshinskiy Collection provides an outstanding and rare private collection of oriental arms and armour captured in high quailty paper, best quality leather jacket encrusted with silver-inlaid inscriptions, a magnificent silver filigree sculpture in shape of a dagger on the cover made by renowned sculpter and silversmith, breath-taking miniatures from Iranian museums, top-quality pictures of artifacts taken by a world-class photographer, period Persian manuscripts, up-to-date research based on original manuscripts and an outstanding book design made by a famed publisher make up a unique book tiltled Antique Oriental and Arab Weapons and Armour: The Streshinskiy Collection.
the text is an exemplary academic text-book as well as being an artistic masterpiece. The quality of paper and pictures are of an excellent calibre such that artifiacts have an almost life-like quality to the reader. The pictures even appear to be three-dimensional thrusting the reader to a world of mystery and wonderful images of oriental arms and armor emanating from the cultures of the Middle East, India, North Africa and Indonesia.
See pictures 1-5 below which pertain to the cover of the book Antique Oriental and Arab Weapons and Armour: The Streshinskiy Collection– readers are directed to the silver filigree scupture in shape of a dagger.
Picture 1 (Copyright M.M. Khorasani, 2010)
Picture 2 (Copyright M.M. Khorasani, 2010)
Picture 3 (Copyright M.M. Khorasani, 2010)
Picture 4 (Copyright M.M. Khorasani, 2010)
Picture 5 (Copyright M.M. Khorasani, 2010)
One of the striking features of the Streshinskiy collection is that it not only offers a unique array of historical weapons from North Africa, Arabian Penninsula, Ottoman Empire, Persia/Iran, Afghanistan, India and Indonesia but it also offers quality items from all of those cultures. From breath-taking sculpted jade handles of daggers from India reminding readers of fascinating court ceremonies and events to the sharp blades of Sudanese swords reminiscent of elephant-hunters and takouba swords wielded by Tuareg warriors, the collection encompasses all.
Picture 6: A Persian khanjar next to a picture of a khanjar from the Streshinskiy collection.
Next to a detailed description of crucible steel patterns described in Persian and Arab manuscripts, the book Antique Oriental and Arab Weapons and Armour: The Streshinskiy Collection shows four beautiful miniatures from Iranian museums. One of the miniatures from the Persian manuscript Šāhnāme-ye Bāysonqori from the 15 century is titled “Jamšid teaching his people the trades and crafts” shows the Persian King Jamšid and his enthronement. The miniature shows the forging process of armor, horse armor and helmet, hammering out crucible steel bars and a man bellowing a crucible steel forge. The miniature is titled “Rostam and Siyāvaš conquer Balx” and is taken from a manuscript of the Šāhnāme-ye Šāh Tahmāsbi. The third miniature titled “Rostam lassoes the Emperor of Turkestān,” taken from the manuscript of the Šāhnāme-ye Bāysonqori, Rostam, the Persian hero, is shown unsaddling and pulling down the emperor of Turkestān from his elephant by using a lasso. The fourth miniature from a Šāhnāme-ye Šāh Tahmāsbi manuscript showing Sohrāb who has tackled down Rostam (the Persian hero) and is about to attack him with a khanjar (xanjar).
Picture 7: A Persian kard next to a picture of a kard from the Streshinskiy collection.
Picture 8: Another Persian khanjar next to a picture of a khanjar from the Streshinskiy collection.
Picture 9: A Persian qame next to a picture of a Persian qame from the Streshinskiy collection.
This wonderful book is offered by the publisher Antiga Arabia headquartered in AbuDhabi and comes as a limited edition book. The pictures are taken by the master photographer Andrey Bronnikov who has an international fame in professional photography. The paper is of top quality which is Pure Cotton Conqueror 160 gr and Larius Matt 170 gr. The book is printed in Italy by Grafiche Antiga spa, Crocetta del Montello (TV) in September 2010 and also hand-bound in Italy by L’Arte del Libro, Pantalla di Todi (PG).
Picture 10: A Caucasian kindjal next to a picture of a Caucasian kindjal from the Streshinskiy collection.
Picture 11: An Arab dagger next to a picture of an Arab dagger from the Streshinskiy collection.
Picture 12: The bag for maintaining the book made of silk with silver-thread inscriptions.
The 800 Ct Sterling Silver encrusting in shape of a dagger which appears on the cover of the book is a faithful reproduction of the 1900 C.E. Jambiya from Mecca which is depicted on page 107 of the book. The original master-cast was sculpted and engraved by Ivan Daviskiba. The silver encrusted dagger on the front cover of the book is an art in itself. For more information and ordering the book consult: www.antigaarabia.com.
Dt. Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani recently published a book entitled “Lexicon of Atms and Armor from Iran” on October 1st, 2010– Dr. Khorasani’s book on the lexicon is the first academic book ever to be written on the lexicon and terminology of Iranian arms and warfare. Dr. Khorasani’s first book, Arms & Armor from Iran: The Bronze Age to the End of the Qajar Period is also unique in that it is the first textbook of its kind to provide an exhaustive and detailed compendium on the history, development, description and analysis of Iranian arms and armor from the bronze age to the Qajar era:
To rrder these books, please click on the Legat Publishers link or order directly from LEGAT Publishers: Alexander Frank ([email protected])Tel. +49 (0) 70 73 / 30 24 49; Mobile +49 (0)179 / 453 61 21
Dr. Manouchehr Moshtagh Khorasani, the world’s leading expert on the history of Iranian and Oriental arms. armour and firearms.
