Pictures Please (Sikh Sword)

Rick · 9th May 2007, 05:35 PM

That's a beautiful sword Jens.
From what I have gathered so far I understand this form is a thrusting sword.

More pictures .. anyone ?
Thanks Lew!

Lew · 9th May 2007, 06:34 PM

Posted more pics.

Lew

Flavio · 9th May 2007, 07:30 PM

Beautiful pieces Jens and Rick!!!! Unfortunately I haven't a kirach, but I found a picture of a kirach on what a think is an Oldman catalogue (...but the picture is quit bad

)

Rick · 9th May 2007, 08:33 PM

Thanks Flavio.

Interesting to see that the example you show is a basket hilt too.

Jim McDougall · 9th May 2007, 08:37 PM

Hi Galvano,
You're right, the sword traditionally held as sacred by the Sikhs is the khanda, however as well pointed out by Jens and the others, the kirach was also favored. More difficult to identify specifically as Sikh are the tulwars, which were commonly used by Sikhs in combat. There are sometimes mottos or wording found under the hilt on some of these, but more often they are relatively unmarked. As one Sikh I was speaking with described when asked how to properly identify a Sikh sword..."if the sword was used by a Sikh, then any sword is a Sikh sword"!

All the best,
Jim

Jens Nordlunde · 10th May 2007, 04:37 PM

Hi Rick,

Yes, I too believe them to be trusting swords. The way I see it, it would be excellent to use, by someone who was riding, on something lower than himself, a food soldier or maybe a deer, there would have been quite a lot of power behind the trust.

The funny thing with mine is, that the hand guard can be screwed off. Figiel had a sword with the same kind of hilt on his auction, I wonder if his hand guard could also be removed.

Rick · 10th May 2007, 05:23 PM

Removable knucklebow ?!?
A very interesting feature Jens; if your example is a hunting sword it would be very good for the final thrust to the animal's heart.

I was poking through the notes and index in Elgood's Hindu Arms and from what I have been able to gather from his notes the swords with the more acute downcurving points are from the Deccan, and that the Kirach was the sword issued to Sikh Artillerymen .

I still am stymied as to why there are so few examples to be seen .

Maybe there just weren't that many Artillerymen .........

Jens Nordlunde · 11th May 2007, 02:16 PM

Compared to all the other soldiers in the armies, I believe there were relatively few artillerymen. I don’t think they had canons enough

.

I did not, by briefly looking through the Marlborough House book, find the sword Robert Elgood refers to, but I found another one, which Heldley calls a tulwar, but from the description, and from the picture, it is clear that it must be a kirach. The Maharaja of Jaipur presented #163 to prince Edward during his visit to India.

9th May 2007, 07:30 PM	#3
Flavio Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Italia Posts: 1,243	Beautiful pieces Jens and Rick!!!! Unfortunately I haven't a kirach, but I found a picture of a kirach on what a think is an Oldman catalogue (...but the picture is quit bad ) Attached Images

10th May 2007, 04:37 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Rick, Yes, I too believe them to be trusting swords. The way I see it, it would be excellent to use, by someone who was riding, on something lower than himself, a food soldier or maybe a deer, there would have been quite a lot of power behind the trust. The funny thing with mine is, that the hand guard can be screwed off. Figiel had a sword with the same kind of hilt on his auction, I wonder if his hand guard could also be removed. Attached Images

11th May 2007, 02:16 PM	#8
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Compared to all the other soldiers in the armies, I believe there were relatively few artillerymen. I don’t think they had canons enough. I did not, by briefly looking through the Marlborough House book, find the sword Robert Elgood refers to, but I found another one, which Heldley calls a tulwar, but from the description, and from the picture, it is clear that it must be a kirach. The Maharaja of Jaipur presented #163 to prince Edward during his visit to India. Attached Images

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9th May 2007, 05:35 PM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	That's a beautiful sword Jens. From what I have gathered so far I understand this form is a thrusting sword. More pictures .. anyone ? Thanks Lew!

9th May 2007, 06:34 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Posted more pics. Lew

9th May 2007, 08:33 PM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Thanks Flavio. Interesting to see that the example you show is a basket hilt too.

9th May 2007, 08:37 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,295	Hi Galvano, You're right, the sword traditionally held as sacred by the Sikhs is the khanda, however as well pointed out by Jens and the others, the kirach was also favored. More difficult to identify specifically as Sikh are the tulwars, which were commonly used by Sikhs in combat. There are sometimes mottos or wording found under the hilt on some of these, but more often they are relatively unmarked. As one Sikh I was speaking with described when asked how to properly identify a Sikh sword..."if the sword was used by a Sikh, then any sword is a Sikh sword"! All the best, Jim

10th May 2007, 05:23 PM	#7
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Removable knucklebow ?!? A very interesting feature Jens; if your example is a hunting sword it would be very good for the final thrust to the animal's heart. I was poking through the notes and index in Elgood's Hindu Arms and from what I have been able to gather from his notes the swords with the more acute downcurving points are from the Deccan, and that the Kirach was the sword issued to Sikh Artillerymen . I still am stymied as to why there are so few examples to be seen . Maybe there just weren't that many Artillerymen .........