Tulwar with Cartouche/Singnature? on Blade

ariel · 25th July 2021, 03:24 PM

Very good tulwar!

One would definitely wish for such elegant and high class tulwar to have a wootz blade and a cartouche with some famous name, but the previous owner performed a barbaric cleaning operation with the coarsest sandpaper. I cannot see much pitting; likely he removed just old patina. He did not even try to leave the cartouches untouched, this vandal! I hate overeager lovers of everything shiny.

Still, please try to polish a window and etch it.

Unless it was a Sirohi ( which, BTW, was highly esteemed by the contemporaries), you may find ( my guess) Indian “ salt and pepper” wootz.
First, I would polish the spine by the handle to look for the “crack”. It might be filled with some soft metal or left unfilled: in any case it would signify wootz.

Good luck!

25th July 2021, 03:24 PM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Very good tulwar! One would definitely wish for such elegant and high class tulwar to have a wootz blade and a cartouche with some famous name, but the previous owner performed a barbaric cleaning operation with the coarsest sandpaper. I cannot see much pitting; likely he removed just old patina. He did not even try to leave the cartouches untouched, this vandal! I hate overeager lovers of everything shiny. Still, please try to polish a window and etch it. Unless it was a Sirohi ( which, BTW, was highly esteemed by the contemporaries), you may find ( my guess) Indian “ salt and pepper” wootz. First, I would polish the spine by the handle to look for the “crack”. It might be filled with some soft metal or left unfilled: in any case it would signify wootz. Good luck!