tulwar Disk guard

[Edward F]

Paolo thanks for the pics

Jens thanks again I have seen the knucle guard not ending in a flower bud or animal head but not in combination the the disk guard .I think it maybe somewhat early and probably made with other silmilar swords in a remote region of india.I also think it may be a transitional sword from full guard to half gaurd to no guard.Any way i dont think the sword holds any great value.


thanks ed

[eric45]

Very nice.

[Stan S.]

A finger guard is not a very common feature, although not super rare in tulwars. As pointed out by Edward F, it is a transitional feature indicative of a switch from a full basket hilt of a khanda to a more modern tulwar hilt. Sometimes tulwars are found with a single guard on one side and sometimes it is found on both sides of the hilt. Also, there had been a common practice dating probably to sometime in the 19th century of removing finger guards, which leaves behind a noticeble groove in the hilt.

Here is a picture of an old sword from my collection (regredably no longer in my possession) that shows a trace of a removed finger guard: