"A Passion for Indian Arms" Book Review

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.

30th October 2016, 01:36 AM	#7
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.