Is it time Indian auction houses tap into the arms and armoury market?- The Week

There probably has never been a time when I have seen an entire piece of heavy metal armour, displayed at a historic property and not wondered, how did someone wear this and more importantly how did they fight a battle with the hefty weight of it. For royalty, armour was as good as haute couture. For example, Henry VIII had workshops and ateliers set up in Greenwich to create his armour. One such stunning work of art, dating to 1527, is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Creative fashion houses have taken inspiration from antique armour, breast plates being the most obvious, to create glamorous outfits befitting today’s time.

While the use of ceremonial and battle armour has become redundant, its historic value along with antique armoury continues to be seen as an attractive purchase for many collectors.

The year 2025 has been one giving plentiful spotlight and importance to arms and armour. In January this year, Royal Mail in the United Kingdom unveiled 12 stamps celebrating armours created during as early as 1365. Including pieces such as a rare sword from the Ming Dynasty, Royal Mail’s stamps aimed at igniting curiosity on the brilliant craftsmanship and engineering of the time. There is diversity of arms and armoury from each region and time period. Be it the materials used, the techniques experimented or the mastery of design and workmanship.

In April this year, a Sotheby’s auction brought to light one of the most exquisite collections of Islamic arms and armour. With over 100 lots the auction covered a period of 500 long years including a personal sword of the Emperor Shah Jahan. However, collections such as these are a labour of love. Philippe Gilles René Missillier spent over five decades researching and creating a collection of serious historic significance.

The evolution of weaponry, the introduction of gunpowder, the innovation and technological advances that arms and armour shed light on are of immense value when dotting global history. Last month, Olympia Auctions in the United Kingdom curated an auction on Fine Antique Arms, Armour and Militaria. A resounding success, the auction featured some rare works of art, the top lot being a magnificent German executioner’s sword. Selling for an impressive £75,000, the sword is testament to the path-breaking German engineering, which continues to impress.

Olympia founder Thomas Del Mar also commented that there is a new generation of collectors partaking in the auction. Keeping this in mind, I would like to think that it’s time auction houses explored the Indian market for arms and armoury.

Presently, the majority of such antiquity in India is only seen in public museums or palaces and the museums they house. I still recall seeing an exquisite Gunpowder Flask also known as a Hamancha at the Mehrangarh Museum in Jodhpur. A beautiful, delicate piece with a shell from the green sea snail found in the Rann of Kutch layered with mother of pearl. The attention to detail and immaculate craftsmanship left me speechless.

Similarly, Udaipur’s City Palace Museum has done a commendable job in restoring and displaying some important, historic artefacts. Ranging from swords, daggers, spears, helmets, guns and pistols to armours made for horses to Maharana Pratap’s armour. Renowned for its weight and a reflection of the strength and valour of a Rajput warrior. Preserving such weaponry is an art in itself.

Given the many great battles fought on Indian soil, the diverse and rich craftsmanship in the country, I think it’s time India’s auction houses explore this untapped territory. Not only will it encourage documentation, research and archiving, it will also ignite young immersionable minds to explore collecting antique milliatria.