"A Passion for Indian Arms" Book Review

Lee · 29th October 2016, 07:24 PM

I have only had the book for a few days, but I am most pleased to have added it to my library. I already had a number of books on Indian arms, but so very often they remain very general in their descriptions and inadequate in the number and or quality of the illustrations (usually just reflecting publishing standards of the times when they were published rather than author's sloth). Jens' book delights in that he includes multiple detailed images for each item along with a coherent description including details such as dimensions, provenance, references and believable dating. I will also opine that another strength of the book is that of the excellence of the collection it depicts; usually what I will describe mostly as the top end of what was attainable to a very serious modern collector in the last fifty years.

The book starts out with three essays:
How Old is the Katar?
Saadat Khan Bahadur, the First Nawab of Oudh
Royal Katars of Bundi

These are followed by the collection's catalog in four main sections:
Daggers, Katars, Swords and Miscellaneous

Total pages: 368

mariusgmioc · 29th October 2016, 08:02 PM

Excellent reference book but...

... only 100 copies...

ariel · 29th October 2016, 08:40 PM

I promised to let the Forumites know what I thought about the book and gave myself a weekend. Well, I overestimated myself.....

The more I read it, the more I understand how complex it is. I thought ( naively, as I found after an hour of reading) that I knew enough about the topic just to brush on my enjoyment of Indian arms. But in fact I got stumped at the very beginning.

Jens knows so much that the book is far too short to explain every nuance he takes as a given.

This is not a book for a novice. There are so many hints, insights and hidden nuggets of knowledge that a thorough understanding of the material requires years of immersion into the topic, in addition to careful reading, re-assessment of other items, consulting other sources and just sober acceptance of the fact that the author knows infinitely more than the reader like myself can imagine. How does he attribute and date the weapons? How does he know the meaning of decorations? How does he differentiate between Rajput and Mughal tulwars, not even talking about Deccani ones? The short descriptions give just hints, but I have to study a lot to figure it out....

This is not a book to be casually read and enjoyed for the pictures. It ain't no coffee table album. This book needs to be studied, and studied hard.

It is not a good book. It is a great book: it forces you to learn more.
My hat is off to Jens.

rand · 29th October 2016, 10:50 PM

This is one of those rare books on Indian arms and armor that you want to read a few pages at a time and really enjoy. I remember when Elgood's book on Islamic Arms and Armor first came out in 1979 and was $175, it was a covered book at that time. Jen's book is that level of scholarship and beyond, with more pages, more photo's and in color, with page after page of pertinent information that will both educate and entertain. And in 2016, it is 120 BPS, thats a bargain.

When this book go's out of print it will be eye opening to see what its value is the.

Can you tell I like this book? And recommend you get a copy or two soon.

rand

Jim McDougall · 30th October 2016, 01:36 AM

Actually Ariel, you did get the sum of importance of this book, which is actually a catalog of his private collection, and was not intended as a reference book. That is, the very nature of Indian arms, which is indeed wrought with nuance, deep symbolism, and aspects of cultural importance which are held in comprehensive study of the cultures there.

As seen in the post by Jens just this last week, asking for others to join in to discover more on the meanings and symbolism in the floral imagery on tulwars, and for that matter katars as well. The complexity and deeply nuanced nature of these arms has long been too formidable for most collectors and scholars to pursue comprehensively to offer the kind of answers so often asked regarding various weapon forms.

It is a very short run issue as it is as indicated a catalog. However it is of one of the world class collections of Indian arms, specifically tulwars and katars mostly, and these examples will set the benchmark to pace the developing interest in the study of these weapons.

Jens Nordlunde · 30th October 2016, 11:07 AM

Thank you very much for the kind reviews.

We all discuss/write about a subject from the level where we are at the moment, and so have I. Maybe in five or ten years, if I live that long, I would write some of the texts differently, but I do hope the texts can be read, and understood, by someone on different levels - that was the intention.
If you knowledge is not yet so big, you can read the text, look at the pictures, and say, 'so, that is what a Deccani tulwar looked like, could have looked like, at the time'. If your knowledge is bigger, you may find hints in the texts, which others may not see. Hints, which hopefully will make you take up the challange, and start your own research.

To research Indian weapons can be relatively easy, or it can be very hard work, depending on how deep you will take your research, but when you find bits and pieces the reward is big.

Jens

ariel · 30th October 2016, 06:12 PM

Folks,
Order this book ASAP while it is still available.

And, I would hate to see it limited to 100 copies. Hopefully, when the existing supply is exhausted, Jens and the publisher can print more and we can spread the word .

It should not be limited to big museums and our own private libraries. It is an indispensable source of explaining and understanding Indian arms.

Perhaps, in the "second edition" Jens could add a chapter on general principles of classification, typology and dating for less sophisticated readers like myself and hundreds more like me. He knows far too much to be allowed not giving a "master class":-)

29th October 2016, 07:24 PM	#1
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 932	A preliminary view - recommended I have only had the book for a few days, but I am most pleased to have added it to my library. I already had a number of books on Indian arms, but so very often they remain very general in their descriptions and inadequate in the number and or quality of the illustrations (usually just reflecting publishing standards of the times when they were published rather than author's sloth). Jens' book delights in that he includes multiple detailed images for each item along with a coherent description including details such as dimensions, provenance, references and believable dating. I will also opine that another strength of the book is that of the excellence of the collection it depicts; usually what I will describe mostly as the top end of what was attainable to a very serious modern collector in the last fifty years. The book starts out with three essays: How Old is the Katar? Saadat Khan Bahadur, the First Nawab of Oudh Royal Katars of Bundi These are followed by the collection's catalog in four main sections: Daggers, Katars, Swords and Miscellaneous Total pages: 368

29th October 2016, 08:40 PM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I promised to let the Forumites know what I thought about the book and gave myself a weekend. Well, I overestimated myself..... The more I read it, the more I understand how complex it is. I thought ( naively, as I found after an hour of reading) that I knew enough about the topic just to brush on my enjoyment of Indian arms. But in fact I got stumped at the very beginning. Jens knows so much that the book is far too short to explain every nuance he takes as a given. This is not a book for a novice. There are so many hints, insights and hidden nuggets of knowledge that a thorough understanding of the material requires years of immersion into the topic, in addition to careful reading, re-assessment of other items, consulting other sources and just sober acceptance of the fact that the author knows infinitely more than the reader like myself can imagine. How does he attribute and date the weapons? How does he know the meaning of decorations? How does he differentiate between Rajput and Mughal tulwars, not even talking about Deccani ones? The short descriptions give just hints, but I have to study a lot to figure it out.... This is not a book to be casually read and enjoyed for the pictures. It ain't no coffee table album. This book needs to be studied, and studied hard. It is not a good book. It is a great book: it forces you to learn more. My hat is off to Jens. Last edited by ariel; 30th October 2016 at 03:28 PM.

29th October 2016, 10:50 PM	#4
rand Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 539	Passion for Indian Arms This is one of those rare books on Indian arms and armor that you want to read a few pages at a time and really enjoy. I remember when Elgood's book on Islamic Arms and Armor first came out in 1979 and was $175, it was a covered book at that time. Jen's book is that level of scholarship and beyond, with more pages, more photo's and in color, with page after page of pertinent information that will both educate and entertain. And in 2016, it is 120 BPS, thats a bargain. When this book go's out of print it will be eye opening to see what its value is the. Can you tell I like this book? And recommend you get a copy or two soon. rand

29th October 2016, 08:02 PM	#2
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,906	Excellent reference book but... ... only 100 copies...

30th October 2016, 01:36 AM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Actually Ariel, you did get the sum of importance of this book, which is actually a catalog of his private collection, and was not intended as a reference book. That is, the very nature of Indian arms, which is indeed wrought with nuance, deep symbolism, and aspects of cultural importance which are held in comprehensive study of the cultures there. As seen in the post by Jens just this last week, asking for others to join in to discover more on the meanings and symbolism in the floral imagery on tulwars, and for that matter katars as well. The complexity and deeply nuanced nature of these arms has long been too formidable for most collectors and scholars to pursue comprehensively to offer the kind of answers so often asked regarding various weapon forms. It is a very short run issue as it is as indicated a catalog. However it is of one of the world class collections of Indian arms, specifically tulwars and katars mostly, and these examples will set the benchmark to pace the developing interest in the study of these weapons.

30th October 2016, 11:07 AM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Thank you very much for the kind reviews. We all discuss/write about a subject from the level where we are at the moment, and so have I. Maybe in five or ten years, if I live that long, I would write some of the texts differently, but I do hope the texts can be read, and understood, by someone on different levels - that was the intention. If you knowledge is not yet so big, you can read the text, look at the pictures, and say, 'so, that is what a Deccani tulwar looked like, could have looked like, at the time'. If your knowledge is bigger, you may find hints in the texts, which others may not see. Hints, which hopefully will make you take up the challange, and start your own research. To research Indian weapons can be relatively easy, or it can be very hard work, depending on how deep you will take your research, but when you find bits and pieces the reward is big. Jens

30th October 2016, 06:12 PM	#7
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Folks, Order this book ASAP while it is still available. And, I would hate to see it limited to 100 copies. Hopefully, when the existing supply is exhausted, Jens and the publisher can print more and we can spread the word . It should not be limited to big museums and our own private libraries. It is an indispensable source of explaining and understanding Indian arms. Perhaps, in the "second edition" Jens could add a chapter on general principles of classification, typology and dating for less sophisticated readers like myself and hundreds more like me. He knows far too much to be allowed not giving a "master class":-)