Help wanted Identification of Katars

Edward F · 11th January 2015, 04:58 PM

The dotted markings are Bikaner markings.Most weapons I have seen have two differant dotted markings and some with inscriptions (date or Name)The dotted marks for the most part are sets of numbers lots three,

Inventory number,maybe the iron worker had a number,Any ones guess?

Most interesting the symbol before the 3 numbers 19b,26a,27a I believe that first symbol found before the 3 numbers can be found on all Bikaner weapons I just don't know what the first symbol means.
19b-225
20a-407
26a-573
27a-217
12a-324 this mark made during or after construction

Edward F · 11th January 2015, 05:04 PM

Post number 31 shows the unknown symbol

Jens Nordlunde · 11th January 2015, 05:05 PM

The dot marks are likely to be inventory markings, but the katar shown in post 26 is from Bundi, although it is marked with the Bikaner dot markings.
Jens

Jens Nordlunde · 11th January 2015, 06:17 PM

Edward F.
Which if the symbols in post 31 is unknown?

Although many weapons have been marked with the dot marking from Bikaner, they may not all come from Bikaner.
When a castle had been taken, and after a battle as well, the weapons of the looser would have been transported somewhere else - like Anup Singh did, to his homeland Bikaner, after the fall of Adoni. This would avoid that the same weapons were used twice against the same army.

Edward F · 11th January 2015, 07:48 PM

Jens
This is the first symbol that is unknow but appears on most if not all dotted markings

The symbol is followed by three numbers

Edward F · 11th January 2015, 07:58 PM

Post 31 they are all the same symbol (lower left symbol is odd ) as you know this dotted marking is small and to create a letter or numbers with dots on metal you will most likely not get a consistant letter.

Jens Nordlunde · 12th January 2015, 01:33 PM

As I dont read or write any off the Indian languages I asked a friend in India if he could help. Here is his answer to the dot marks i post 31 lower left corner.

"Yes you are right. It is in Gujarati (the language spoken on Indias west coast - Gujarat-Kutch state. This part borders Rajasthan. It reads bHi not bi. But I will lay my bet that it was inscribed at the Bikaner armoury by an ironsmith who used that dialect/script."

Not all the weapons in the Bikaner armory are made there, as some were looted and brought there. The workers at the Bikaner armoury were either natives from Bikaner/people who had moved there/people who had been moved there, so inscriptions could/would be a bit different.

11th January 2015, 04:58 PM	#1
Edward F Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 54	bikaner markings The dotted markings are Bikaner markings.Most weapons I have seen have two differant dotted markings and some with inscriptions (date or Name)The dotted marks for the most part are sets of numbers lots three, Inventory number,maybe the iron worker had a number,Any ones guess? Most interesting the symbol before the 3 numbers 19b,26a,27a I believe that first symbol found before the 3 numbers can be found on all Bikaner weapons I just don't know what the first symbol means. 19b-225 20a-407 26a-573 27a-217 12a-324 this mark made during or after construction

11th January 2015, 05:05 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	The dot marks are likely to be inventory markings, but the katar shown in post 26 is from Bundi, although it is marked with the Bikaner dot markings. Jens Last edited by Jens Nordlunde; 11th January 2015 at 06:17 PM.

11th January 2015, 07:48 PM	#5
Edward F Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 54	first symbol Jens This is the first symbol that is unknow but appears on most if not all dotted markings The symbol is followed by three numbers Attached Images

11th January 2015, 07:58 PM	#6
Edward F Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 54	symbol post 31 Post 31 they are all the same symbol (lower left symbol is odd ) as you know this dotted marking is small and to create a letter or numbers with dots on metal you will most likely not get a consistant letter.

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11th January 2015, 05:04 PM	#2
Edward F Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 54	Post number 31 shows the unknown symbol

11th January 2015, 06:17 PM	#4
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Edward F. Which if the symbols in post 31 is unknown? Although many weapons have been marked with the dot marking from Bikaner, they may not all come from Bikaner. When a castle had been taken, and after a battle as well, the weapons of the looser would have been transported somewhere else - like Anup Singh did, to his homeland Bikaner, after the fall of Adoni. This would avoid that the same weapons were used twice against the same army.

12th January 2015, 01:33 PM	#7
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	As I dont read or write any off the Indian languages I asked a friend in India if he could help. Here is his answer to the dot marks i post 31 lower left corner. "Yes you are right. It is in Gujarati (the language spoken on Indias west coast - Gujarat-Kutch state. This part borders Rajasthan. It reads bHi not bi. But I will lay my bet that it was inscribed at the Bikaner armoury by an ironsmith who used that dialect/script." Not all the weapons in the Bikaner armory are made there, as some were looted and brought there. The workers at the Bikaner armoury were either natives from Bikaner/people who had moved there/people who had been moved there, so inscriptions could/would be a bit different.