Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 22nd October 2014, 04:25 PM   #1
CharlesS
Member
 
CharlesS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Greenville, NC
Posts: 1,855
Default A Very Interesting All Business Tulwar Sword

I was recently able to acquire this interesting "all business" tulwar sword from one of our forum members. I find it to be a fascinating sword in many respects:

- it is likely the heaviest tulwar with the thickest blade I have ever handled
- the blade is an excellent example of pattern welding
- the blade is inlaid in STEEL with an inscription
- the hilt is an interesting combination of fine wootz and homogenous steel

The sword was no doubt owned by a big, powerful man. The blade is heavy and somewhat difficult to handle easily, though one blow from it could likely cleave off a man's full shoulder with ease.

This is the first time I have seen a sword with an inscription inlaid in steel, reading:

(Sahib Sri) Uday Singh (Ji) Daata Sahib Labana – Daata Sahib (Head) of Labana (village in Rajasthan)

The sword's maker's mark shows the maker as Ibrahim Amal, forged in the Islamic year 1254 (1838AD).

The hilt is made of two panels of wootz steel and with a wootz pommel and homogeneous steel quillons fitted into the hilt via wedges welded to the wootz. The wootz grips are possibly veneers over homogenous steel. I wonder why wootz was not simply used throughout?

I am including a picture of another Indian sword (from Akaal Arms blog) with an identically made hilt, but with gold koftgari covering the wedged in welds.

The scabbard is original and features silver plated steel fittings.

Truly an all business tulwar!!

Dimensions:

Total length: 37in.
Blade length: 31.5in.
Blade thickness at the forte: 3/8 in.

*Thanks to Runjeet Singh for his help in translations, and for allowing me to use pics from his site for comparative purposes.
Attached Images
            

Last edited by CharlesS; 22nd October 2014 at 06:46 PM.
CharlesS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 22nd October 2014, 11:17 PM   #2
A. G. Maisey
Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 6,675
Default

Superb!!!
A. G. Maisey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd October 2014, 01:00 AM   #3
Andrew
Member
 
Andrew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 1,725
Thumbs up

Wow. A truly exceptional example, Charles.

What are the dimensions of the hilt? Is it larger than typical, as one would expect?
Andrew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd October 2014, 01:01 AM   #4
Andrew
Member
 
Andrew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 1,725
Default

Also, you indicated the inscription was inlaid in steel? It looks acid-etched in those photos...is that what you meant?
Andrew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd October 2014, 11:28 AM   #5
Spunjer
Member
 
Spunjer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Witness Protection Program
Posts: 1,730
Default

not my field but man, you always find the good stuff, bro! congrats!
Spunjer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd October 2014, 12:29 PM   #6
CharlesS
Member
 
CharlesS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Greenville, NC
Posts: 1,855
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrew
Also, you indicated the inscription was inlaid in steel? It looks acid-etched in those photos...is that what you meant?

Thanks for the input folks!

Andrew, regarding the hilt, it is quite a "normal" size for a tulwar hilt.

Regarding the inscription, it is inlay and not acid etched. Please look carefully at the characters(last pic with the sword's fullers to the bottom) and you'll see some tiny spaces between the inlay and the blade with a couple of them. Age residue has built up in that space in some of them, but it makes it clear they are separate pieces of inlay...separate from the blade that is.
CharlesS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd October 2014, 03:51 PM   #7
Jens Nordlunde
Member
 
Jens Nordlunde's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,713
Default

Congratulation. It is a very unusual and interesting tulwar.
I understand Andrew's question, as I have never seen or heard of steel inlaid in steel. This does not mean that it could not have been done, and I respect your judgement, but could the inlay be another softer metal looking like steel?
Jens
Jens Nordlunde is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd October 2014, 04:09 PM   #8
CharlesS
Member
 
CharlesS's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Greenville, NC
Posts: 1,855
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde
Congratulation. It is a very unusual and interesting tulwar.
I understand Andrew's question, as I have never seen or heard of steel inlaid in steel. This does not mean that it could not have been done, and I respect your judgement, but could the inlay be another softer metal looking like steel?
Jens

Hi Jens,

This is quite possible. Runjeet, Rsword, Battara, and myself all had a very good look at it. What is for sure is that it is not silver, gold, nor "white metal" or silver alloy.....could it be something other than steel???...sure, but the etched hue looks like steel to us.

...and yes, it is quite a strange sight, and really reflects my idea of this being an "all business" sword.

Thanks for your input.
CharlesS is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd October 2014, 05:19 PM   #9
Emanuel
Member
 
Emanuel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,242
Default

Magnificent sword Charles!

In Bikaner I saw a few very heavy tulwars supposedly used by some very powerful men. Every component from the hilt to the blade were very thick and heavy-looking, but very well executed.

In regards to the steel inlay, I don't see any reason why it would not have been done. Richard Furrer demonstrated such "inlay" in his reproduction of an Ulfberht sword. IIRC in the Ulfberht sword, the "inlay" was forge welded into the blade, and is not actually cold inlaid wire like the usual soft silver or gold wire. This tulwar may have been decorated in the same manner.

Emanuel
Emanuel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23rd October 2014, 07:15 PM   #10
archer
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 373
Default Very Interesting

Congratulations Charles a very unique example. I'm wondering about the swords weight to help set a benchmark. Awhile back we were trying to establish what a light weight might be. Thanks Steve
archer is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:12 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.