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Old 21st May 2005, 01:56 AM   #4
RSWORD
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Location: Greensboro, NC
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I have heard of the stamped marks being referred to as "eyelash" or "sickle" marks. They could be armoury marks from an unknown armoury. Not much is known on armoury markings for Indian swords. The marks probably first originated as imitations of similar marks found on early European swords and I believe these marks were thought to originally to be Italian and later copied by other European smiths as marks of quality. India imported large amounts of European blades and probably associated this mark with blades of quality and themselves imitated the mark to portray quality. Jim, I am sure, can expound on these markings but this is a basic introduction.
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