Tulwar of the 4th Punjab Infantry with shortened blade.

Ian · 13th October 2025, 11:49 PM

Hi Chris, makes me wonder why such a nice old hilt ended up on a cut down and reshaped blade. Perhaps they started out together when the blade was intact and the blade got broken. Or maybe it's a later ensemble. Some of the silver work is raised above the background iron on the hilt. That looks recent to me and not in a traditional form.

Will M · 14th October 2025, 05:36 PM

Ian I would expect the silver to be somewhat raised due to the corrosion and metal loss on the hilt. One never knows how long the hilt and blade have been attached.

Ian · 15th October 2025, 09:09 AM

Chris, all the silver work I have seen on tulwars has been pressed into very fine engraved criss-cross lines (Khoftgari work). None of it was raised in the fashion shown on the hilt of your sword. Silver is soft and will wear easily (much more readily than iron). Areas with barely visible silver work is the norm for older pieces that have been used (as opposed to stuck away somewhere out of harms way). Other areas of the hilt show more typical wear and loss of silver.

Jim McDougall · 15th October 2025, 02:53 PM

Ian and Will, thank you guys for detailing criteria on your observations!
This thoughtful effort is how we learn about the weapons we discuss and the character of the elements, decoration and processes that are essential in the forensics process that help us understand them.

Just making some declaration or laconic blurb toward a weapon in discussion, as too often apparent in todays devolving communication is less than helpful, so actual imparting of knowledge and experience is pure treasure.

Just sayin

Chris Tubman · 16th October 2025, 05:20 PM

All very interesting and thank you all for your comments.
I have noticed that the quillons of this Tulwar are quite distinctive and very slightly turned down, would anyone know if this was representative of a certain region or time period?

13th October 2025, 11:49 PM	#1
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,503	Hi Chris, makes me wonder why such a nice old hilt ended up on a cut down and reshaped blade. Perhaps they started out together when the blade was intact and the blade got broken. Or maybe it's a later ensemble. Some of the silver work is raised above the background iron on the hilt. That looks recent to me and not in a traditional form.

14th October 2025, 05:36 PM	#2
Will M Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: In the wee woods north of Napanee Ontario Posts: 398	Ian I would expect the silver to be somewhat raised due to the corrosion and metal loss on the hilt. One never knows how long the hilt and blade have been attached.

15th October 2025, 09:09 AM	#3
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,503	Chris, all the silver work I have seen on tulwars has been pressed into very fine engraved criss-cross lines (Khoftgari work). None of it was raised in the fashion shown on the hilt of your sword. Silver is soft and will wear easily (much more readily than iron). Areas with barely visible silver work is the norm for older pieces that have been used (as opposed to stuck away somewhere out of harms way). Other areas of the hilt show more typical wear and loss of silver.

15th October 2025, 02:53 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,634	Ian and Will, thank you guys for detailing criteria on your observations! This thoughtful effort is how we learn about the weapons we discuss and the character of the elements, decoration and processes that are essential in the forensics process that help us understand them. Just making some declaration or laconic blurb toward a weapon in discussion, as too often apparent in todays devolving communication is less than helpful, so actual imparting of knowledge and experience is pure treasure. Just sayin

16th October 2025, 05:20 PM	#5
Chris Tubman Member Join Date: Oct 2025 Posts: 6	All very interesting and thank you all for your comments. I have noticed that the quillons of this Tulwar are quite distinctive and very slightly turned down, would anyone know if this was representative of a certain region or time period?