A Beater Sword
Here's one i've not seen before. It is an Indian beater Shamshir. For those that don't know, beaters had one of the worst jobs in the world. They were Indian slaves whose task it was to venture into the tall grass and jungle and attempt to flush tigers, and other dangerous animals, for their masters hunting pleasure. To assist in the flushing, and their own safety, they were given a short sword such as this. The dealer I purchased this from listed it as 19thc and provided these translations for the two Arabic quotes at the scabbard drag:
“By thanking (Allah) blessings last / remain” and “Justice is the basis of sovereignty / kingdom”.
LOA: 24.5" LOB: 19.5"
No mention of the blade being wootz, but it sure looks like it to me. I would appreciate it if a more experienced collector can confirm this. I am frequently wrong. TIA!
Harry
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