Enfield made Afghani Pulwar

Marcus · 22nd September 2016, 01:19 AM

I have this sword on order; it is an Afghani version of the Indian tulwar. The blade is marked “Enfield”, so I would assume that it was made from a sword captured during one of the Anglo-Afghani wars. To the best of my knowledge, Enfield did not make sword blades for general export. There might be a date that has been obscured by the new hilt. My question to the group is what was the original British pattern for which this blade was made?

Jim McDougall · 22nd September 2016, 05:58 AM

Very interesting paluoar!!!
First one Ive ever seen with a British military blade, but this does not seem an unlikely combination. After the Treaty of Gandamak (1879) and end of 2nd Afghan War, the British installed Abdur Rahman Khan as Emir and they continued a nominal occupation of Afghanistan. This included the creation of the Mashin Khana state armoury in Kabul, which produced British military rifles for Afghan army as well as some other arms. This seems to have taken place around 1886, but production seems to have faltered around 1905.
While I cannot recall for certain, it seems the small arms produced were Enfields.

While the forte on this blade is partially obscured by the langets, it appears to be either an 1885 or 1890 pattern British cavalry blade, although there were earlier ENFIELD production blades. The earlier blades usually had the year after the Enfield stamp.
There should be WD and arrow mkgs on the blade.

Enfield began producing sword blades after 1820, but as noted, like other British makers, blades were not made for export.
Rather than suspecting this blade may have been captured, I believe it more likely to be from the British occupation period, with an Afghan armourer using it for mount in a traditional hilt, probably around turn of the century or later.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 22nd September 2016, 06:27 AM

Great information Jim, We had a real go at Mashin Khana where at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21677 it can be seen in the sketch of one of the Kabul works the write up in miniscule print under says Martini Henry and solid brass drawn cartridges were made there... Mashin Khana was an attempt to finance a state industrial revolution...it failed! They also made Bayonets and such was the fervour to replicate foreign weapons that they scooped up other items of war including their own long daggers and stamped them for good measure... Indeed stamping everything with the Mashin Khana stamp seemed to a sort of sport... to the very detriment of skilled artesans who were sucked into the system thereby forgetting their age old crafts in favour of mechanical automation and the dreaded Mashin Khana. Bayonets for MH were turned out though quality was suspect ..See the bayonets at reference also.

I am checking for other weapons made there also...and I see at https://www.google.com/search?q=mash...utf-8&oe=utf-8 pictures of rifles and stamps often with the Kabul Jangalak factory but no Enfield marks...just MH. We are all aware of the home made versions made in Afghanistan with all sorts of spelling mistakes but I cannot find Enfields having been made in the Mashin Khana. factories..

Regarding Enfield Sword Blades please see http://antiqueswordsforsale.com/brit...t-issue-marks/ for some of the marks applied throughout the 19th C.

fernando · 22nd September 2016, 11:57 AM

Interesting pulwar, Marcus

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Perhaps this topic is best placed in the Ethnographic section

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Marcus · 22nd September 2016, 12:03 PM

I posted in Europeanin the hopes that a member of that forum might recognize the blade type and identify the original sword.

fernando · 22nd September 2016, 12:08 PM

Let's place it in both sections, then

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Will M · 14th October 2016, 06:15 AM

The blade by Enfield would originally have been a 1821 pattern light or heavy cavalry troopers sword. The latest dates on 1821p Enfield swords I've seen is 1848. These blades are 35 1/2" or so.
The name Enfield is followed by the date on the blade spine, on this sword it is obscured.

22nd September 2016, 01:19 AM	#1
Marcus Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 420	Enfield made Afghani Pulwar I have this sword on order; it is an Afghani version of the Indian tulwar. The blade is marked “Enfield”, so I would assume that it was made from a sword captured during one of the Anglo-Afghani wars. To the best of my knowledge, Enfield did not make sword blades for general export. There might be a date that has been obscured by the new hilt. My question to the group is what was the original British pattern for which this blade was made? Attached Images

22nd September 2016, 06:27 AM	#3
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Great information Jim, We had a real go at Mashin Khana where at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21677 it can be seen in the sketch of one of the Kabul works the write up in miniscule print under says Martini Henry and solid brass drawn cartridges were made there... Mashin Khana was an attempt to finance a state industrial revolution...it failed! They also made Bayonets and such was the fervour to replicate foreign weapons that they scooped up other items of war including their own long daggers and stamped them for good measure... Indeed stamping everything with the Mashin Khana stamp seemed to a sort of sport... to the very detriment of skilled artesans who were sucked into the system thereby forgetting their age old crafts in favour of mechanical automation and the dreaded Mashin Khana. Bayonets for MH were turned out though quality was suspect ..See the bayonets at reference also. I am checking for other weapons made there also...and I see at https://www.google.com/search?q=mash...utf-8&oe=utf-8 pictures of rifles and stamps often with the Kabul Jangalak factory but no Enfield marks...just MH. We are all aware of the home made versions made in Afghanistan with all sorts of spelling mistakes but I cannot find Enfields having been made in the Mashin Khana. factories.. Regarding Enfield Sword Blades please see http://antiqueswordsforsale.com/brit...t-issue-marks/ for some of the marks applied throughout the 19th C. Attached Images

22nd September 2016, 12:03 PM	#5
Marcus Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 420	section I posted in Europeanin the hopes that a member of that forum might recognize the blade type and identify the original sword.

22nd September 2016, 05:58 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,738	Very interesting paluoar!!! First one Ive ever seen with a British military blade, but this does not seem an unlikely combination. After the Treaty of Gandamak (1879) and end of 2nd Afghan War, the British installed Abdur Rahman Khan as Emir and they continued a nominal occupation of Afghanistan. This included the creation of the Mashin Khana state armoury in Kabul, which produced British military rifles for Afghan army as well as some other arms. This seems to have taken place around 1886, but production seems to have faltered around 1905. While I cannot recall for certain, it seems the small arms produced were Enfields. While the forte on this blade is partially obscured by the langets, it appears to be either an 1885 or 1890 pattern British cavalry blade, although there were earlier ENFIELD production blades. The earlier blades usually had the year after the Enfield stamp. There should be WD and arrow mkgs on the blade. Enfield began producing sword blades after 1820, but as noted, like other British makers, blades were not made for export. Rather than suspecting this blade may have been captured, I believe it more likely to be from the British occupation period, with an Afghan armourer using it for mount in a traditional hilt, probably around turn of the century or later.

22nd September 2016, 11:57 AM	#4
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,637	Interesting pulwar, Marcus . Perhaps this topic is best placed in the Ethnographic section .

22nd September 2016, 12:08 PM	#6
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,637	Let's place it in both sections, then .

14th October 2016, 06:15 AM	#7
Will M Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: In the wee woods north of Napanee Ontario Posts: 390	The blade by Enfield would originally have been a 1821 pattern light or heavy cavalry troopers sword. The latest dates on 1821p Enfield swords I've seen is 1848. These blades are 35 1/2" or so. The name Enfield is followed by the date on the blade spine, on this sword it is obscured.