Two Tulwars For Comment

Jens Nordlunde · 6th November 2006, 01:01 PM

Hi Lew,

I am really not very good at judging weapons from pictures, I prefer to have them in my hand, but let me try.

The hilt on the first one is interesting, fluted grips are seen before, but they are not common – is it silver? Do I guess correctly if I say there is a flower on top of the disc?
The blade looks nice, and I can see two eyelashes with three dots at each end, however there seem to be something more closer to the hilt, but I can’t see it clearly – what is it?
The blade must be broad, but not necessarily heavy, as the ‘T’ spine will help stiffen the blade. You don’t write anything about wootz, so I suppose it is not watered. I thinbk I see a ricasso, but I am not sure. I think the blade is Indian, and it could be older than the hilt, although I am not sure.
My guess would be Rajasthan, 18th to early 19th century.

The hilt of the second tulwar is not so easy to see, I think it may have a flower on top of the disc, but I am less certain than with the first one – does it have a flower?
Very nice blade with deep stamps, which must have been made while it was hot, as it would not be possible to make them so deep on a cold blade. Have you had the stamps translated? Does the blade have a ricasso? Also here I think the blade could be older than the hilt.
I am not sure from where it is, early 19th century.

Here is what I think, do you, or anyone else have better guesses?

Lew · 6th November 2006, 03:27 PM

Jens

The silver hilted one has a sun burst or flower type design the other tulwar I can't quite remember right now I will take a few close ups of the hilt. The tulwar with the deep stuck stamps has no riccasso.

Lew

Jens Nordlunde · 6th November 2006, 05:23 PM

Yes i know Lew, almost like this one.
Don't you have any more comments to my questions?

Lew · 6th November 2006, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

Yes i know Lew, almost like this one.
Don't you have any more comments to my questions?

Yes

The fluted hilt seems to be silver overlay. What is the significance of the blade having or not having a riccasso? The top sword is not wootz but it does seem to have an inserted edge so it must be some type of lamination?

Lew

Jens Nordlunde · 6th November 2006, 07:14 PM

Lew,

Are you sure the fluted hilt is not made of silver? Have you tried with a magnet? It could be silver plated, but then again, it could be of silver.

Most Indian made blades have a ricasso, often it is said, that blades without a ricasso are European – I doubt that, as I think some of them are Indian made as well, maybe copied from European blades, but still Indian.

Interesting also, as some claim that the reason for the ricasso was, that the Indians used to have their index finger curled around the quillon, to give better room for the other fingers, and to have a better grip. I find it hard to convince myself of this theory, but these blades could have been made in other places, and been exported to India.

They did make blades of softer steel and insert an edge of hard steel, so maybe yours is one of these.

Lew · 7th November 2006, 03:18 AM

Jens

Here are some close ups of the hilts.

Lew

Jens Nordlunde · 7th November 2006, 03:04 PM

Lew,

Thank you for the pictures. The one with the gold decoration looks old. The first mark looks like a letter and a number to me, and the second mark, the eyelashes are made in a way, which I have never seen before. It looks very primitive, but there is no doubt what the meaning was. This is interesting, as the eyelashes were said to be a copy of a European sword mark, and maybe it was, but why then mark the blade as it is on yours, as this mark would fool no one. No one would take it for being a European blade mark, so maybe the eyelashes with the dots can have more than one meaning.

6th November 2006, 05:23 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Yes i know Lew, almost like this one. Don't you have any more comments to my questions? Attached Images

7th November 2006, 03:18 AM	#6
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Jens Here are some close ups of the hilts. Lew Attached Images

7th November 2006, 03:04 PM	#7
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Lew, Thank you for the pictures. The one with the gold decoration looks old. The first mark looks like a letter and a number to me, and the second mark, the eyelashes are made in a way, which I have never seen before. It looks very primitive, but there is no doubt what the meaning was. This is interesting, as the eyelashes were said to be a copy of a European sword mark, and maybe it was, but why then mark the blade as it is on yours, as this mark would fool no one. No one would take it for being a European blade mark, so maybe the eyelashes with the dots can have more than one meaning. Attached Images

6th November 2006, 01:01 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Lew, I am really not very good at judging weapons from pictures, I prefer to have them in my hand, but let me try. The hilt on the first one is interesting, fluted grips are seen before, but they are not common – is it silver? Do I guess correctly if I say there is a flower on top of the disc? The blade looks nice, and I can see two eyelashes with three dots at each end, however there seem to be something more closer to the hilt, but I can’t see it clearly – what is it? The blade must be broad, but not necessarily heavy, as the ‘T’ spine will help stiffen the blade. You don’t write anything about wootz, so I suppose it is not watered. I thinbk I see a ricasso, but I am not sure. I think the blade is Indian, and it could be older than the hilt, although I am not sure. My guess would be Rajasthan, 18th to early 19th century. The hilt of the second tulwar is not so easy to see, I think it may have a flower on top of the disc, but I am less certain than with the first one – does it have a flower? Very nice blade with deep stamps, which must have been made while it was hot, as it would not be possible to make them so deep on a cold blade. Have you had the stamps translated? Does the blade have a ricasso? Also here I think the blade could be older than the hilt. I am not sure from where it is, early 19th century. Here is what I think, do you, or anyone else have better guesses?

6th November 2006, 03:27 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Jens The silver hilted one has a sun burst or flower type design the other tulwar I can't quite remember right now I will take a few close ups of the hilt. The tulwar with the deep stuck stamps has no riccasso. Lew

6th November 2006, 07:14 PM	#5
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Lew, Are you sure the fluted hilt is not made of silver? Have you tried with a magnet? It could be silver plated, but then again, it could be of silver. Most Indian made blades have a ricasso, often it is said, that blades without a ricasso are European – I doubt that, as I think some of them are Indian made as well, maybe copied from European blades, but still Indian. Interesting also, as some claim that the reason for the ricasso was, that the Indians used to have their index finger curled around the quillon, to give better room for the other fingers, and to have a better grip. I find it hard to convince myself of this theory, but these blades could have been made in other places, and been exported to India. They did make blades of softer steel and insert an edge of hard steel, so maybe yours is one of these.