Indo Persian "Cobra" Sword

Tatyana Dianova · 16th May 2007, 09:16 PM

This one had ended on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120113103430&ssPageNam e=ADME:B:EF

E:2
This sword is quite rare and decorative. Your opinion please: is it only ceremonial (or maybe touristic) or a real thing?

Lew · 16th May 2007, 10:04 PM

IT'S THE REAL THING AND VERY RARE.

LEW

katana · 17th May 2007, 12:36 AM

Very nice......I wonder how it would 'handle'.....would the widened blade near the hilt badly affect the balance? or enhance it?

Jens Nordlunde · 17th May 2007, 01:25 PM

This ’Cobra’ sword is, like you write, very rare, but it is not from NW India/Afghanistan, it is from Deccan. The Afghan influence on the hilt could be from the times, when Afghans ruled in Bengal and a one or two other states to the south. As a type, this sword goes back about four hundred years, maybe even longer.

Here is a picture of another one from an exhibition catalogue.

Jim McDougall · 19th May 2007, 03:01 PM

I agree with Jens, this example reflects of course the familiar paluoar form hilt of Afghanistan, however actually reflects influences of early Persian type hilts. The interesting decorative cowl that covers the upper blade to the hilt is similar to an example of Tibetan sword shown (if memory serves) in Donald LaRocca's "Gods of War" and probably appears in his new book on the weapons of Tibet. As Jens has pointed out, the weapons of the Deccan often carried features found in Bengal regions, where influences from Nepal and Tibet are also often found.

Best regards,
Jm

ALEX · 21st May 2007, 07:35 AM

Very nice authentic sword indeed, and in complete and nice condition. Congrats to a buyer!!!
I have one question: the seller stated the following about the blade: "...the NON-damascus (typical for these) blade...".
How typical is it for these swords to be made of non-Damascus steel, and what would be a reason for not using Damascus? The very design of the blade suggests Damascus, isn't it? Have anyone seen Damascus or wootz Cobra sword?

Jens Nordlunde · 21st May 2007, 09:03 AM

I don’t know why the seller wrote, that it is typical for these blades not to have a watered blade. The one I showed has a nicely watered blade.

dralin23 · 28th May 2007, 10:12 AM

hi alex!
thank you for your gratulation , it is realy an very good sword, and i´m happy that i´m the winner from these auction!!! if is an fine thing that i found some more informations to these sword at these sword forum!! (tatjana thank you!!) unfortunatly is my picture program out of order, when i can "repair" it, i send some more pictures from my sword collection to ask you and i hope you will tell me your opinions to these swords!
best wishes send you stefan

Tatyana Dianova · 29th May 2007, 06:50 PM

Hi

and welcome to the Forum!!!

dralin23 · 19th October 2022, 07:23 AM

many years ago tatyana started a thread in which a cobra sword was presented. i had bought this sword from charles and his description said that the blade is not made of damascus steel as is usual with these swords.
in the subsequent discussion, the question arose as to why this was described in this way, or whether these swords would also be available with damascus blades. jens wrote that he had already seen such a sword and i also know that such a sword was described in the catalog of indian weapons in danish private collections.
here is an example of such a sword. it was recently sold at auction and the blade is made from a very fine wootz steel.
what i particularly like here is the fine gold inlay on the blade disc.
it would be interesting to find out what the writing on the disc means, whether it gives an indication of the year of manufacture and possibly the manufacturer or the owner. maybe someone can decipher that. In any case, it is a very nice example of this type of sword. I think that this is not a battle sword but rather a court sword or was worn with clothing, because I have not yet seen any reference to the use of such swords in old Indian drawings or sculptures. does anyone know more about it?

Jim McDougall · 19th October 2022, 05:53 PM

As the discussion on these began in about 2007 (possibly earlier?) with Tatyana's example then, there has been notable discussion on them but as may be expected, it is hard to reach consensus on such an anomalous sword type. It seems that of course this is a symbolic sword and possibly connected to Hindu kings as referenced in the 'Nujum al Ulum in 16th c.

The Afghan style pommel on these is likely of course to derive from Pathan presence and influences in Kurnool and other minor Afghan principalities in regions and near Hyderabad.
Many of these have striated Vijayanagara type blades, but there are variations obviously for interpretations reflecting Bijapur art styles, Mughal motif and other as these were known in other areas as well as the Deccan.

Therefore it would seem that damascus blades might occur as well as others.

Whatever the case, an amazing example, congratulations Stefan!

kai · 20th October 2022, 08:17 PM

A superb example - congrats, Stefan!

Do I assume correctly that all gold work (on hilt & blade) is koftgari rather than inlay?

Looking forward to learning any insight from the inscriptions! (A good number of overlapping close-ups may help though.)

Regards,
Kai

dralin23 · 21st October 2022, 06:00 AM

hello kai,
yes this i correct, it is not an true inlay work. these goldpattern is an koftgariwork.
i will try to make some better pictures from the disc, maybe someone could read and translate it. it would be very intresting.
thank you!!

16th May 2007, 09:16 PM	#1
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 695	Indo Persian "Cobra" Sword This one had ended on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120113103430&ssPageNam e=ADME:B:EFE:2 This sword is quite rare and decorative. Your opinion please: is it only ceremonial (or maybe touristic) or a real thing?

17th May 2007, 01:25 PM	#4
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	This ’Cobra’ sword is, like you write, very rare, but it is not from NW India/Afghanistan, it is from Deccan. The Afghan influence on the hilt could be from the times, when Afghans ruled in Bengal and a one or two other states to the south. As a type, this sword goes back about four hundred years, maybe even longer. Here is a picture of another one from an exhibition catalogue. Attached Images

19th October 2022, 07:23 AM	#10
dralin23 Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 194	watered steelblades by an cobra sword many years ago tatyana started a thread in which a cobra sword was presented. i had bought this sword from charles and his description said that the blade is not made of damascus steel as is usual with these swords. in the subsequent discussion, the question arose as to why this was described in this way, or whether these swords would also be available with damascus blades. jens wrote that he had already seen such a sword and i also know that such a sword was described in the catalog of indian weapons in danish private collections. here is an example of such a sword. it was recently sold at auction and the blade is made from a very fine wootz steel. what i particularly like here is the fine gold inlay on the blade disc. it would be interesting to find out what the writing on the disc means, whether it gives an indication of the year of manufacture and possibly the manufacturer or the owner. maybe someone can decipher that. In any case, it is a very nice example of this type of sword. I think that this is not a battle sword but rather a court sword or was worn with clothing, because I have not yet seen any reference to the use of such swords in old Indian drawings or sculptures. does anyone know more about it? Attached Images

21st October 2022, 06:00 AM	#13
dralin23 Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 194	hello kai, yes this i correct, it is not an true inlay work. these goldpattern is an koftgariwork. i will try to make some better pictures from the disc, maybe someone could read and translate it. it would be very intresting. thank you!! Attached Images

16th May 2007, 10:04 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	IT'S THE REAL THING AND VERY RARE. LEW

17th May 2007, 12:36 AM	#3
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Very nice......I wonder how it would 'handle'.....would the widened blade near the hilt badly affect the balance? or enhance it?

19th May 2007, 03:01 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,940	I agree with Jens, this example reflects of course the familiar paluoar form hilt of Afghanistan, however actually reflects influences of early Persian type hilts. The interesting decorative cowl that covers the upper blade to the hilt is similar to an example of Tibetan sword shown (if memory serves) in Donald LaRocca's "Gods of War" and probably appears in his new book on the weapons of Tibet. As Jens has pointed out, the weapons of the Deccan often carried features found in Bengal regions, where influences from Nepal and Tibet are also often found. Best regards, Jm

21st May 2007, 07:35 AM	#6
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Very nice authentic sword indeed, and in complete and nice condition. Congrats to a buyer!!! I have one question: the seller stated the following about the blade: "...the NON-damascus (typical for these) blade...". How typical is it for these swords to be made of non-Damascus steel, and what would be a reason for not using Damascus? The very design of the blade suggests Damascus, isn't it? Have anyone seen Damascus or wootz Cobra sword?

21st May 2007, 09:03 AM	#7
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	I don’t know why the seller wrote, that it is typical for these blades not to have a watered blade. The one I showed has a nicely watered blade.

28th May 2007, 10:12 AM	#8
dralin23 Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 194	hi alex! thank you for your gratulation , it is realy an very good sword, and i´m happy that i´m the winner from these auction!!! if is an fine thing that i found some more informations to these sword at these sword forum!! (tatjana thank you!!) unfortunatly is my picture program out of order, when i can "repair" it, i send some more pictures from my sword collection to ask you and i hope you will tell me your opinions to these swords! best wishes send you stefan

29th May 2007, 06:50 PM	#9
Tatyana Dianova Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 695	Hi and welcome to the Forum!!!

19th October 2022, 05:53 PM	#11
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,940	As the discussion on these began in about 2007 (possibly earlier?) with Tatyana's example then, there has been notable discussion on them but as may be expected, it is hard to reach consensus on such an anomalous sword type. It seems that of course this is a symbolic sword and possibly connected to Hindu kings as referenced in the 'Nujum al Ulum in 16th c. The Afghan style pommel on these is likely of course to derive from Pathan presence and influences in Kurnool and other minor Afghan principalities in regions and near Hyderabad. Many of these have striated Vijayanagara type blades, but there are variations obviously for interpretations reflecting Bijapur art styles, Mughal motif and other as these were known in other areas as well as the Deccan. Therefore it would seem that damascus blades might occur as well as others. Whatever the case, an amazing example, congratulations Stefan!

20th October 2022, 08:17 PM	#12
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,254	A superb example - congrats, Stefan! Do I assume correctly that all gold work (on hilt & blade) is koftgari rather than inlay? Looking forward to learning any insight from the inscriptions! (A good number of overlapping close-ups may help though.) Regards, Kai