Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Shamshir

mariusgmioc · 3rd July 2021, 12:14 PM

Hello David,

I have major doubts about the age of this sword. I suspect it to be a 20th century Indian/Pakistani panoply hanger.

First, the scabbard is a mixture of Turkish (stitched with visible silver thread), Persian and Indian (no chape) styles, with both the leather and the silver thread in too good to be true condition.

Second, the hilt (with lanyard hole) is a mixture of Persian and Turkish style, and the carvings do not appear to be Persian because of style and quality, while the applied gold (which doesn't seem to be koftgari) is in too good condition.

Third, the blade is not of Persian shape and appears to be of recent Indian/Pakistani manufacture, with some etched patination (exactly the patination I usually get when etching for wootz a blade that is not wootz).

1. Can you please send us detailed photos of the wootz pattern?!

2. Is the blade sharp?

3. Can you show us a detailed photo of the yelman portion?

3rd July 2021, 12:14 PM	#7
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,875	Hello David, I have major doubts about the age of this sword. I suspect it to be a 20th century Indian/Pakistani panoply hanger. First, the scabbard is a mixture of Turkish (stitched with visible silver thread), Persian and Indian (no chape) styles, with both the leather and the silver thread in too good to be true condition. Second, the hilt (with lanyard hole) is a mixture of Persian and Turkish style, and the carvings do not appear to be Persian because of style and quality, while the applied gold (which doesn't seem to be koftgari) is in too good condition. Third, the blade is not of Persian shape and appears to be of recent Indian/Pakistani manufacture, with some etched patination (exactly the patination I usually get when etching for wootz a blade that is not wootz). 1. Can you please send us detailed photos of the wootz pattern?! 2. Is the blade sharp? 3. Can you show us a detailed photo of the yelman portion? Last edited by mariusgmioc; 3rd July 2021 at 01:32 PM.