Tulwar hilt question.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Ian

estcrh:

What are you asking to be authenticated? Age, materials, place of manufacture? Can you be more specific please?

Ian

Ian, just whether this is a good reproduction or an antique.

[Ian]

I have checked with estcrh whether this item is currently for sale. Forum Policy does not permit discussion of items currently for sale because such discussion might damage the sale and we don't want angry sellers trying to sue the owner of this forum.

Estcrh is posting this tulwar hilt for a friend and believes it is not currently for sale--so no problem.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Ian

I have checked with estcrh whether this item is currently for sale. Forum Policy does not permit discussion of items currently for sale because such discussion might damage the sale and we don't want angry sellers trying to sue the owner of this forum.

Estcrh is posting this tulwar hilt for a friend and believes it is not currently for sale--so no problem.

The owner is Japanese and does not speak very good English, he acquired this and has no knowledge of them, he asked me if it was modern made or antique, that was all he asked about it.

[Ian]

I vote for recent manufacture. There are some good reproductions coming out of Rajasthan these days and they are obviously working from antique models. It can be hard to tell new from old in online pictures, but the pattern of the steel does not look like wootz to me--more like pattern welded--which makes me think it is a recent reproduction. The gold work is well preserved (usually something is missing here and there), and not of the highest quality.

That's the best I can do from pictures. Really need to have these in hand to get a good idea of age.

Ian.