Another Tulwar for Comments

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 3rd December 2011, 07:05 AM

Salaams,

No offence intended on my suspicion of it being a tourist item~ I handled lots of swords in Afghanistan earlier in the year and many were reworked blades shall we say with a "hot needle" i.e. less than expertly chased and placed on blades to enhance their saleability. I spent a lot of time with a sword and blade workshops and witnessed reworked and totally new blades being aged. I was able to see excellent koftiari being applied and compared those with the not so well made articles in many parts of the Chicken Street Bazaar in Kabul. Once applied to a blade it is a very easy process to make the whole thing look authentic and old ... however I am not saying it is all new but that it is merely "suspicious" ... It could be that the hilt is older... It could be that the blade is older. What is certain is that the chasing is relatively recent and rather below par, off line, and that always rings a bell to me particularly in Afghanistan where there is a complete industry built around knocking out fakes. I have to add that Tulvar swords are not my domain and I learn a lot from this forums expertise.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

3rd December 2011, 07:05 AM	#9
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Salaams, No offence intended on my suspicion of it being a tourist item~ I handled lots of swords in Afghanistan earlier in the year and many were reworked blades shall we say with a "hot needle" i.e. less than expertly chased and placed on blades to enhance their saleability. I spent a lot of time with a sword and blade workshops and witnessed reworked and totally new blades being aged. I was able to see excellent koftiari being applied and compared those with the not so well made articles in many parts of the Chicken Street Bazaar in Kabul. Once applied to a blade it is a very easy process to make the whole thing look authentic and old ... however I am not saying it is all new but that it is merely "suspicious" ... It could be that the hilt is older... It could be that the blade is older. What is certain is that the chasing is relatively recent and rather below par, off line, and that always rings a bell to me particularly in Afghanistan where there is a complete industry built around knocking out fakes. I have to add that Tulvar swords are not my domain and I learn a lot from this forums expertise. Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi.