Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 21st February 2014, 04:44 AM

Hi Napoleon,
It is always interesting to see these older threads come up, and I only vaguely recall the detail here, but in rereading the posts it seems that no conclusive or definitive answers resulted on these markings

I would point out that the discussion brought in similar markings which occurred on various arms which included tulwars.

In research on EIC markings back in the 1990s I did find out that the East India Company did not mark sword blades. The only edged weapons with such balemarks were bayonets, and the locks of firearms were so marked.

I have recently found information which shows East India Govt. pre WWI as using stamps with E -arrow-G
After that : I arrow G
Indian inspection marks were IG over inspectors number

I believe this information probably pertained to bayonets and firearms but unclear on swords.

I would like to see more examples or data on these triangle and EIG stamps as they seem to have inadequate substantiation to have been legitimately applied, their rather haphazard, incomplete and inconsistent nature notwithstanding. The letter 'C' instead of 'G' seems telling.

21st February 2014, 04:44 AM	#18
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,742	Hi Napoleon, It is always interesting to see these older threads come up, and I only vaguely recall the detail here, but in rereading the posts it seems that no conclusive or definitive answers resulted on these markings I would point out that the discussion brought in similar markings which occurred on various arms which included tulwars. In research on EIC markings back in the 1990s I did find out that the East India Company did not mark sword blades. The only edged weapons with such balemarks were bayonets, and the locks of firearms were so marked. I have recently found information which shows East India Govt. pre WWI as using stamps with E -arrow-G After that : I arrow G Indian inspection marks were IG over inspectors number I believe this information probably pertained to bayonets and firearms but unclear on swords. I would like to see more examples or data on these triangle and EIG stamps as they seem to have inadequate substantiation to have been legitimately applied, their rather haphazard, incomplete and inconsistent nature notwithstanding. The letter 'C' instead of 'G' seems telling.