Thank you so much for your enlightenment, Jim
I must say i have not yet bought this piece; i still try and convince the seller to drop the price down.
However your input gave some enthusiasm towards acquiring this piece.
Meantime i will try and fit into your various remarks on this piece and in general.
Its weight is 1,113 kg. ( almost 2 1/2 pounds ) which is a considerable weight for a sword with the mentioned length.
I know about the opinnion that the knuckle guard could be of European influence, but i find it surprising that Daehnhardt doesn't mention this particularity on the lately discussed book, his main work on the Discoveries period weaponry that the Portuguese faced in Asia, while he is so keen at detailing this kind of things.
It is also a fact that the two thousand years old kanda, has a hanguard ... if this means something for the matter.
I am also thinking that the use of the shield to block the opponent's expectable blow, doens't avoid the eventual entangling of blades, in close moves, with consequent fingers risk.
It's a pitty Homens Espadas e Tomates is not bilingual, like some of this author other works.
I can tell you that the text under picture 51 ( page 109) quotes that such XVI-XVII specimen has its quillons completely turned down in order to better defend the opponents sword slide , while exposing the hand to incoming blows from the side . Already in picture 100 ( page 190) he mentions the existing knuckle guard in a XVII-XVIII century specimen, with the traditional shape of a raising snake, but he doesn't refer any exterior influence for its appearance.
Further he aproaches the traditional Indian fighting system with the sword in one hand and the shield in the other, while the Portuguese, as from the second half XVI century, used the rapier in one hand and the left hand dagger in the other, having preferred this to the previous shield, this system however demanging for fencing training. The resource of the hand dagger was naturally applied at close quarters, but in any case the abandon of the shield made them vulnerable to the enemies arrows, a rather frequent problem.
According to the discussed author, he writes in page 179 that some Indian fencing schools tryed to introduce some European innovations in their swords, like a protecting ring in front of the guard for the index finger. However, with the exception of a few Hugarian examples and one or another experimental specimen, they never managed to alter the style of their sabre or its aplication forms. Nevertheless all of their armies had great experts in the use the said saber, causing lots of casualties in the Portuguese files. But in generical terms, the use of the Muslim sabre with shield was inferior to the Portuguese combination of sword and left hand dagger. This last part could be his patriotic way of view, i am just quoting him.
Concerning your observation on the tulwar frequent offset of he langets, in my humble opinnion i would go for the version of the mount or remount. Maybe this could easier happen with the specimens without rivet fixation, for lack of consequent adjustment rigour. I keep seeing tulwars without rivets, namely the ancient ones, and in my fantasy the rivet addition came at a later stage ... but that could be because i haven't yet seen enough examples to be certain that these were concurrent versions. Mind you, the example i am showing here was surely remounted, as it had a new langet welded ... visibly not the the same piece put back, maybe because it was lost in battle ( to make it romantic ).
Sorry for my impertinence Jim, as if i knew what i am talking about. I expect your usual tolerance.
Kind regards
fernando
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