Pictures Please (Sikh Sword)

Rick · 10th May 2007, 06:23 PM

Removable knucklebow ?!?
A very interesting feature Jens; if your example is a hunting sword it would be very good for the final thrust to the animal's heart.

I was poking through the notes and index in Elgood's Hindu Arms and from what I have been able to gather from his notes the swords with the more acute downcurving points are from the Deccan, and that the Kirach was the sword issued to Sikh Artillerymen .

I still am stymied as to why there are so few examples to be seen .

Maybe there just weren't that many Artillerymen .........

Jens Nordlunde · 11th May 2007, 03:16 PM

Compared to all the other soldiers in the armies, I believe there were relatively few artillerymen. I don’t think they had canons enough

.

I did not, by briefly looking through the Marlborough House book, find the sword Robert Elgood refers to, but I found another one, which Heldley calls a tulwar, but from the description, and from the picture, it is clear that it must be a kirach. The Maharaja of Jaipur presented #163 to prince Edward during his visit to India.

Rick · 11th May 2007, 03:25 PM

Thank you for the picture Jens !

Too true; if they really were the weapon of an Artilleryman then there would be relatively few examples of the form .

Sikh_soldier · 12th May 2007, 08:08 PM

Hello all,

What Jim said is absolutely correct; for a skh any weapon is highly regarded.
however, the khanda and the tulwar are firm favourites!

Here is a picture (bad quality

) of antique weapons of Sikhs which are said to be part of the collection of sri Guru Gobind Singh ji (10th Guru)

spiral · 13th May 2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Too true; if they really were the weapon of an Artilleryman then there would be relatively few examples of the form .

Indeed. According to Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Smith, baronet of Aliwal on the Sutlej, G.C.B.. in 1839 it was estimated by the British Army that the Sikhs had.

120,000 Regular Infantry,40,000 Cavalry, regular and irregular & 400 pieces of cannon ready to take the field, So not that many artillary men in comparison indeed.

Although of course after the first Sikh war there numbers were seriously reduced & over 50% of thier cannon captured.

Large numbers of sword trophys were also brought back by individule & indeed regiments to England at that time.

I have a sikh lilly leaf kukri with tulwar grip captured in the first Sikh war, sadley most such bring back items have lost thier provinance over the years.

Spiral

11th May 2007, 03:16 PM	#2
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Compared to all the other soldiers in the armies, I believe there were relatively few artillerymen. I don’t think they had canons enough. I did not, by briefly looking through the Marlborough House book, find the sword Robert Elgood refers to, but I found another one, which Heldley calls a tulwar, but from the description, and from the picture, it is clear that it must be a kirach. The Maharaja of Jaipur presented #163 to prince Edward during his visit to India. Attached Images

12th May 2007, 08:08 PM	#4
Sikh_soldier Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 87	swords swords swords Hello all, What Jim said is absolutely correct; for a skh any weapon is highly regarded. however, the khanda and the tulwar are firm favourites! Here is a picture (bad quality ) of antique weapons of Sikhs which are said to be part of the collection of sri Guru Gobind Singh ji (10th Guru) Attached Images

10th May 2007, 06:23 PM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,376	Removable knucklebow ?!? A very interesting feature Jens; if your example is a hunting sword it would be very good for the final thrust to the animal's heart. I was poking through the notes and index in Elgood's Hindu Arms and from what I have been able to gather from his notes the swords with the more acute downcurving points are from the Deccan, and that the Kirach was the sword issued to Sikh Artillerymen . I still am stymied as to why there are so few examples to be seen . Maybe there just weren't that many Artillerymen .........

11th May 2007, 03:25 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,376	Thank you for the picture Jens ! Too true; if they really were the weapon of an Artilleryman then there would be relatively few examples of the form .