SWORD BREAKER
Full Description:
Referred to in Chinese as a jian, this large copper-alloy mace is engraved on each side of its faceted shaft with a column of stylised four-petalled flowerheads within lined frames. The faceted moulding fitted near the mace’s handle is engraved with a sequence of Chinese characters - 马到成功 - which translates approximately to ‘Secure an immediate victory’.
These objects are rare and difficult to find in museum collections, though an earlier and less ornate example (Object Number XXVIM.15) preserved in the Royal Armouries functions as a useful comparison for the similarity of its basic structure and design (note especially the faceted moulding near the handle).[1]