Tulwar scabbard

[Jim McDougall]

Hi Jens,
You're right, the red hue placed over gold does seem puzzling, but I have been told that Persians favored this and I wonder if it might have been to subdue the gold while carrying through the gleam, kind of a 'candy apple' effect. I recall many years ago in the custom car days that gold undercoat was often a primer to add the lustre to the 'candy apple red' so favored by car enthusiasts.

While the tulwar, especially with handguard, seemed atypical of the Afghans who favored the guardless shamshir, paluoar and even shashka, it may well be this was a captured weapon which was furbished especially for the warrior who owned it. If this was indeed a trophy weapon, it would not seem unlikely that the handguard was quite acceptable to the individual. While the style of swordsmanship for government forces of the Khan clearly leaned toward the British influences, as evidenced by the handguards on the previously discussed swords from the 1890's, it is interesting to note a warrior using this type tulwar with the 'drawcut' scabbard.

It is also interesting that such incongruent hybridization is seen as well on examples of these government handguards placed on huge blades of the well known 'Khyber knives'. I have forgotten who out there has one of these, but I think Rick will remember !

All the best,
Jim