Firangi ? recently sold on eBay....with holes drilled into blade!!!

Tim Simmons · 26th April 2007, 07:13 PM

It seems odd to me that a nice well made and decorated handle is with such a poorly finished and what appears to be a fairly low or basic quality blade. Maybe the handle is off an older nice weapon. I am going to be really mean and suggest that this could be a 19th cent souvenir wall piece. This type and style of work was used for a lot of early souvenirs. I could be horribly wrong

but it does raise an eyebrow at that price.

Tim Simmons · 26th April 2007, 08:06 PM

The picture looking directly down on to the guard, the forte looks as if it is quite good steel. It still looks very much like a standard trade blade.

katana · 26th April 2007, 08:55 PM

Hi Tim,
I 'played' around with the contrast on the photo of the blade.....I think there is a possibillity that this is 'watered'.

Perhaps this explains the price

If it is 'wootz'.... the idiot that drilled the holes should be &£$?*........ashamed

Emanuel · 26th April 2007, 09:26 PM

Hello David,

This looks like a nice firangi. Perhaps the holes were once filled with gold buttons, an indication of high quality? I recall some swords had such treatment, usually one insert close to the langet.

Emanuel

katana · 26th April 2007, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manolo

Hello David,

This looks like a nice firangi. Perhaps the holes were once filled with gold buttons, an indication of high quality? I recall some swords had such treatment, usually one insert close to the langet.

Emanuel

Hi Emanuel,
I did consider this possibility...but thought the position/spacing of the holes doesn't look right.....perhaps Jens could help

Regards David

Emanuel · 27th April 2007, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katana

I did consider this possibility...

Hi David,

It would be very sad then if the holes had been drilled for something as banal as hanging...foolish people.

I'm getting seriously attracted to Indian arms. I have two tulwars now and want MORE

I actually found that prices have been a bit low recently. A perfectly good pulwar just went yesterday for 100USD, then there are some in poor conditions like this khanda, or some cheap new Indian pieces going for heavy cash! It's maddening!
Maybe these khanda types are being snatched up for their possible Sikh connection?
Looking forward to what Jens, BI and Jim have to say about this one.

All the best,
Emanuel

Jens Nordlunde · 27th April 2007, 09:51 PM

Thank you for your confidence, but knowing that BI and Jim are very occupied, I will try to answer.

It is true that weapons connected to the Sikh’s usually goes rather high on auctions, and if they are decorated with gold – even higher. This can, however, not be a surprise. First it looks nice, and secondly the gold represents a value, but back to the weapon in question. The holes do not represent a certain number of hanged men. If they represent anything, it is one hundred men killed, with the sword, for each hole – not hanged, but so far I believe it to be a rumor. So I do seriously doubt that this is the case with this sword. The holes in question are, as far as I have seen them, made in a need row along the spine of the blade, if the is more than one – and not scattered over the blade.

26th April 2007, 08:55 PM	#3
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Hi Tim, I 'played' around with the contrast on the photo of the blade.....I think there is a possibillity that this is 'watered'. Perhaps this explains the price If it is 'wootz'.... the idiot that drilled the holes should be &£$?*........ashamed Attached Images

26th April 2007, 07:13 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,844	It seems odd to me that a nice well made and decorated handle is with such a poorly finished and what appears to be a fairly low or basic quality blade. Maybe the handle is off an older nice weapon. I am going to be really mean and suggest that this could be a 19th cent souvenir wall piece. This type and style of work was used for a lot of early souvenirs. I could be horribly wrong but it does raise an eyebrow at that price.

26th April 2007, 08:06 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,844	The picture looking directly down on to the guard, the forte looks as if it is quite good steel. It still looks very much like a standard trade blade.

26th April 2007, 09:26 PM	#4
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Hello David, This looks like a nice firangi. Perhaps the holes were once filled with gold buttons, an indication of high quality? I recall some swords had such treatment, usually one insert close to the langet. Emanuel

27th April 2007, 09:51 PM	#7
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Thank you for your confidence, but knowing that BI and Jim are very occupied, I will try to answer. It is true that weapons connected to the Sikh’s usually goes rather high on auctions, and if they are decorated with gold – even higher. This can, however, not be a surprise. First it looks nice, and secondly the gold represents a value, but back to the weapon in question. The holes do not represent a certain number of hanged men. If they represent anything, it is one hundred men killed, with the sword, for each hole – not hanged, but so far I believe it to be a rumor. So I do seriously doubt that this is the case with this sword. The holes in question are, as far as I have seen them, made in a need row along the spine of the blade, if the is more than one – and not scattered over the blade.