Form where in India and how old is this katar?

Jens Nordlunde · 4th March 2011, 12:31 PM

Montino,

I did not answer your question about the parasols, they are not, they are flowers hanging down over the stem. If it is koftgari is a question I have not been able to establish yet. The copper is inlay, no question about it, but when it comes to the silver most traces have been by old rust/dirt, so I will have to make a photographic experiment to look for clues.

Lew,

I think you did all right

, considering that you only had a picture to look at, and I have the katar in my hand.
What does the decoration of the side guards look like? My first guess would be Rajasthan.

Lew · 4th March 2011, 03:22 PM

Jens

No decorations

just plain steel. It seems to me that most katars from Rajasthan that I have seen are not really decorated and are more plain. This is of course is due to my limited exposure. I'm sure there are some but I have not come across any so far. Also since there were many wars between different kingdoms where the defeated sides armoury was sacked and those particular weapons were spread around to other regions of India it becomes difficult to make a precise call on their origins.

Jens Nordlunde · 4th March 2011, 04:35 PM

Lew,

Don’t worry about ’missing’ decorations. I also have katars ‘only’ with chiselled decorations, and I like them a lot. In a way they are more ‘honest’ than the others, although the others can be flashier. You are, of course, right that weapons and other goods of value, travelled a lot when a battle had been won, and where it ended in the first place, may not have been where it was, when the armoury was split up – it could be in quite another part of the India.

The photographic test on my katar has been made, and both the copper and the silver have been inlaid – fantastic work.

Battara · 4th March 2011, 04:40 PM

That kind of inlay is more difficult to do than koftgari. Thus is even more impressive work than I thought before. Great skill was used for this work indeed!

Jens Nordlunde · 5th March 2011, 06:17 PM

Battara,
The earlier Indians were true artists,when it came to inlays, enamels and many other forms of decoration.
Jens

Battara · 5th March 2011, 06:30 PM

Oh no doubt. That is why earlier pieces Indian, Indonesian, and Moro seem to be of better quality.

archer · 8th March 2011, 05:51 PM

Jens, since you are not seeing the normal cross hatching seen in koftgari is it
likely that the Persian style, of punched holes used to anchor the material was used? Your cameras magnification may well tell the tale. Another fine example
as usual. I added a very worn example of punch work. Thanks for sharing it and the mystery. Steve

4th March 2011, 12:31 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Montino, I did not answer your question about the parasols, they are not, they are flowers hanging down over the stem. If it is koftgari is a question I have not been able to establish yet. The copper is inlay, no question about it, but when it comes to the silver most traces have been by old rust/dirt, so I will have to make a photographic experiment to look for clues. Lew, I think you did all right , considering that you only had a picture to look at, and I have the katar in my hand. What does the decoration of the side guards look like? My first guess would be Rajasthan. Last edited by Jens Nordlunde; 4th March 2011 at 12:58 PM.

8th March 2011, 05:51 PM	#7
archer Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 373	Koftgari Jens, since you are not seeing the normal cross hatching seen in koftgari is it likely that the Persian style, of punched holes used to anchor the material was used? Your cameras magnification may well tell the tale. Another fine example as usual. I added a very worn example of punch work. Thanks for sharing it and the mystery. Steve Attached Images

4th March 2011, 03:22 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Jens No decorations just plain steel. It seems to me that most katars from Rajasthan that I have seen are not really decorated and are more plain. This is of course is due to my limited exposure. I'm sure there are some but I have not come across any so far. Also since there were many wars between different kingdoms where the defeated sides armoury was sacked and those particular weapons were spread around to other regions of India it becomes difficult to make a precise call on their origins.

4th March 2011, 04:35 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Lew, Don’t worry about ’missing’ decorations. I also have katars ‘only’ with chiselled decorations, and I like them a lot. In a way they are more ‘honest’ than the others, although the others can be flashier. You are, of course, right that weapons and other goods of value, travelled a lot when a battle had been won, and where it ended in the first place, may not have been where it was, when the armoury was split up – it could be in quite another part of the India. The photographic test on my katar has been made, and both the copper and the silver have been inlaid – fantastic work.

4th March 2011, 04:40 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,335	That kind of inlay is more difficult to do than koftgari. Thus is even more impressive work than I thought before. Great skill was used for this work indeed!

5th March 2011, 06:17 PM	#5
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Battara, The earlier Indians were true artists,when it came to inlays, enamels and many other forms of decoration. Jens

5th March 2011, 06:30 PM	#6
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,335	Oh no doubt. That is why earlier pieces Indian, Indonesian, and Moro seem to be of better quality.