Tulwar for comment

[Jim McDougall]

Ok, looked into Boccia & Coelho again ("Armi Bianchi Italiene"", 1975) which is of course on Italian edged weapons. These images are of short sabres known as storta, which are from early 17th c.
Please note the variant blade features, which include ricasso and choil at the blade forte.
Also in the one image, look at the plethora of 'Indian stars'!!!! (#6)

The use of forefinger over the forward quillon has been described in numbers of sources, often using the term 'Italian grip' if I recall correctly. There has been considerable debate over the suggestions that Indian swordsmen used this grip with extended forefinger over the quillon, but perhaps this may be the source for the feature which Indians added to their blades termed the 'Indian ricasso'.

Here we see, 'Italian' swords with these blade features, and of course the markings being discussed, known in Italy as 'cogwheels'. In European heraldry I believe they are called mullets. The number of radiating spikes do not seem significant.

In my view though, the blade posted by Kubur with these linear cogwheels is Italian, thus the sword is 'firangi'. Again, I have not seen these type marks duplicated by Indian blade makers, but the use of Italian blades appears to have a long tradition in India. These brought in by Portuguese certainly remained in circulation for some time, added to by the German blades so well favored and known, termed 'Alemani'.

Kubur, what in particular makes this blade (post 26) in this tulwar, 'Indian' in your view? As I mentioned, these type arrangements on straight SE blades in khanda seem invariably to be Italian, and seem to be from from perhaps schiavona of 18th c.

On the use of copper/brass filled markings, the running wolf and cross and orb are the most commonly seen examples and invariably on German blades it seems.