new old Katar
 

Got this katar today.
Total length is 42 cm, grip width 75 mm. Tip is a bit thickened, so I guess it's an armour piercing blade. Can you say how old it is?

Thank you very much for any help.

Peter

19th century. The blade looks to have been ground down many years ago.


Lew

Thank you Lew. Is it possible to date it more precisely, e.g. first or second half, early or late 19th century?

Peter

1850-70 would be my guess

August 16, 1861 :-)
Seriously, how can we say?

Well, there are indeed some weapons which can be dated quite excatly. As I don't know much about Indian weapons, I dont know how exact you can date them... That's why I ask.

Thanks again Lew.

Peter

Hi Peter,

There seem to be a lot of these coming over at the moment. The handle parts of yours are distinctive and I've recently seen identically detailed shape/style Katars which are definately 'new' and deliberately rusted and others which may well be 19thC or even a bit earlier.

I'd agree with Lew, yours looks like a genuine one. I'd guess late 19thC is most likely, but it could be 100 years older than that, its very difficult to tell.

Great fun things for sure, wonderfully distinctive!
Regards
Gene

Thank you Gene. :)

Hello Gene,

These new (fake) examples, do they also have the tip broadening for armour piercing ? or are they flat over the entire length of the blade ?

Here are my 2 examples.

Best regards,
Willem

Willhem

Your two katars are old and are nice examples. Styles differed from region to region.

Lew

Hi Willem
Those are rather nice.
The one that Peter has with the distinctive 'grip' with the smaller crossbars is the 'style' I've seen quite a few of over the last year or two.
They seem almost like they are cast then ground, they have the thickened diamond section point etc.
They often seem to be in fairly good shape, just with a good recent looking coating of rust.
I can only say that there was a steady trickle of this style coming from maker of modern Indian weapons who if memory serves was describing them as 'old inventory' or just 'old'.

I like your one with the integrated perforated plate between the grip bars! Nice pair in general. Congrats.

Incidentally, I'm not have a 'dig' at the very recent 'glut' of worn well used exmples on ebay.uk. I think someone must have turned out an armoury somewhere and although all 'munitions' grade, they mostly looked like they had some age.