Earliest Use of Paired Crescent Moons on Solingen Blades

[blue lander]

I'd like to throw this odd tulwar into the mix:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=Dukari

And this schiavona:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...0&postcount=68

...purely to confuse the topic

[Jim McDougall]

Actually no confusion at all!
These are interesting examples of the spurious use of these kinds of markings on various blades, the one a 'souvenier' item from India. The other with schiavona hilt is of triple fuller sabre form usually it seems from Solingen well into and through 19th century. The quad groupings of crosses and usually another device (comet and stars, or in this case moon) are often seen on Algerian 'nimcha' blades (see Briggs, 1965).

[blue lander]

Are there other examples of Indo-Persian tulwar blades with non-spurious moons on them? I was under the impression that most European blades circulating in that area were British. I just have a hard time understanding what this souvenir maker was trying to accomplish when he went out of his way to add these marks to the blade.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by blue lander

Are there other examples of Indo-Persian tulwar blades with non-spurious moons on them? I was under the impression that most European blades circulating in that area were British. I just have a hard time understanding what this souvenir maker was trying to accomplish when he went out of his way to add these marks to the blade.

It is hard to imagine what the creator of this blade was trying to add with these clearly 'artistic' interpretations of the astral symbols often seen on European blades (usually Solingen) as noted in the discussion linked (5/16).
It is hard to determine just which exact region this sword might be from as it is something contrived using a regular Indo-Persian tulwar hilt (widely dispersed through mostly northern regions) but others in degree.

While there were many British blades, typically sabre blades especially M1796 occurring in tulwars, most of the 'firangi' blades southward were German and of backsword type with many broadswords on patas.

It does not seem crescent moons were typically used in the Indian repertoire and these appear to just simulate European marks as they were often seen as imbuements of power etc. or such interpretations.

Just my thoughts from what I have noted, but others more experienced in these weapons might add more.