Talwar blade decorated with animal battles

Jens Nordlunde · 31st March 2014, 04:59 PM

Hi Alex,
You are right

, but as this blade is Indian, and Persian I think it should be called a tulwar blade. The chiselled Persian blades I would call a slightly curved Persian blade. I think new collectors get confused otherwise.
Jens

ALEX · 31st March 2014, 05:07 PM

Dana's blade is undoubtedly tulwar. It has all tulwar features including a signature ricasso. The blades shown on Stone's and second on OA site - could be Indian shamshirs' if there are no ricassos, and OA's blade does not have one. Its profiles is also more shamshir-like. Would we call blade a tulwar just because it is chiselled?

dana_w · 31st March 2014, 09:52 PM

Thanks Alex, Jens, and Paolo!

To sum up, everyone seems to agree that it is a 19th century Indian tulwar (talwar) with hand chiseled blade decorated in coftgari (koftigari).

Is there anyway to narrow the age down to less than a century? Say, the first half, middle, or last half of the 19th century?

I've had a little trouble finding a definitive definition for the term "durbars". I am sure you don't mean a "formal meeting" Jens. Do you mean members of a royal court, or someone who demonstrated loyalty to royalty?

ALEX · 31st March 2014, 10:14 PM

Read about Durbar Here
In terms of dating, it is impossible to be sure without date inscription or maker/date mark. It is always an educated guess. Mine would be mid to late 19th)

Jens Nordlunde · 31st March 2014, 10:39 PM

I will let you have the last word Alex

.
Jens

dana_w · 31st March 2014, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALEX

Read about Durbar Here
In terms of dating, it is impossible to be sure without date inscription or maker/date mark. It is always an educated guess. Mine would be mid to late 19th)

I had found the Wikipedia definition and a few others, but I still don't understand the use of "durbar" in this sentence:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

Yes Alex is right they were made for the durbars in the 19th century.

Emanuel · 31st March 2014, 11:37 PM

Made for use during the durbar, so intended for ceremony/parade/dress purposes, not necessarily for fighting.

Nice tulwar, much nicer quality chiseling than often seen.

dana_w · 31st March 2014, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emanuel

Made for use during the durbar, so intended for ceremony/parade/dress purposes, not necessarily for fighting.

Nice tulwar, much nicer quality chiseling than often seen.

I think that I understand now. Thanks Emanuel.

31st March 2014, 04:59 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Alex, You are right, but as this blade is Indian, and Persian I think it should be called a tulwar blade. The chiselled Persian blades I would call a slightly curved Persian blade. I think new collectors get confused otherwise. Jens

31st March 2014, 10:39 PM	#5
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	I will let you have the last word Alex. Jens

31st March 2014, 05:07 PM	#2
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Dana's blade is undoubtedly tulwar. It has all tulwar features including a signature ricasso. The blades shown on Stone's and second on OA site - could be Indian shamshirs' if there are no ricassos, and OA's blade does not have one. Its profiles is also more shamshir-like. Would we call blade a tulwar just because it is chiselled?

31st March 2014, 09:52 PM	#3
dana_w Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Southeast Florida, USA Posts: 437	Thanks Alex, Jens, and Paolo! To sum up, everyone seems to agree that it is a 19th century Indian tulwar (talwar) with hand chiseled blade decorated in coftgari (koftigari). Is there anyway to narrow the age down to less than a century? Say, the first half, middle, or last half of the 19th century? I've had a little trouble finding a definitive definition for the term "durbars". I am sure you don't mean a "formal meeting" Jens. Do you mean members of a royal court, or someone who demonstrated loyalty to royalty?

31st March 2014, 10:14 PM	#4
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Read about Durbar Here In terms of dating, it is impossible to be sure without date inscription or maker/date mark. It is always an educated guess. Mine would be mid to late 19th)

31st March 2014, 11:37 PM	#7
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Made for use during the durbar, so intended for ceremony/parade/dress purposes, not necessarily for fighting. Nice tulwar, much nicer quality chiseling than often seen.