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Saddle Blanket from First Anglo-Afghan War

Horse blanket reputedly acquired outside of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, April 1842. Horse blanket reputedly acquired outside of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, April 1842. Copyright National Army Museum, acc. no. NAM 1963-03-79-1.

The National Army Museum in Chelsea, London, houses a shabraque (saddle blanket) that was reputedly acquired on 7th April 1842 during a British sortie against Afghan troops outside of Jalalabad, eastern Afghanistan, at the end of the First Anglo-Afghan War (1838-1842). The saddle cloth was allegedly taken by Captain (later Major) James Henry Fenwick of the 13th (1st Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot.

The saddle blanket appears to be made of a black velvet decorated with applied motifs worked in silver thread. The designs include large butehs alternating with stylised trees over a line of small geometric shapes. There is an applied fringe along the lower edge.

See also the TRC digital exhibition Dressing The Stans: Textiles, Dress and Jewellery from Central Asia (TRC, Leiden, 2017).

National Army Museum online catalogue (retrieved 12th March 2017).

WV

Last modified on Wednesday, 25 April 2018 08:34