Two zaghnal for comments

francantolin · 24th November 2022, 07:17 PM

Good evening dear members ( or good morning !)

Here are two large zaghnal axes I have.

The less rusty was given to me by a really good friend years ago,
I have bought the second one with the pike recently for a correct-not really expensive price.

I found old post saying rhe ''rusty'' one is just a composite item of late 19th century
Sure it's not well balanced at all !
Too heavy on the front
But the xxl large crow beek point can perfore any kind of armor; I think /for me this part is not just a deco piece...
Globally alll pieces are massive just the pike end seems deco / useless.
All rusty patina with ''basic'' koftgari under the rust,
I hesitate to clean it or leave it lile that.

For the ''nicer one'' , I thought it was from end of 18th/early 19th but I found informations dating thèse type too at end of 19th century...

The koftgari work is well done and all parts seems of ''higher" quality,
The blade seems blued in many parts,
I can not say if it's blued steel or painted so I hesitate to sand/ etch it ?

What do you think ?
Glad to hear tour comments
Kind regards

francantolin · 24th November 2022, 07:19 PM

The massive ''rusty one''

mahratt · 24th November 2022, 08:23 PM

Hello francantolin

Congrats on the very cute zaghnal axes. As far as I know, these samples were made in the late 19th - early 20th century specifically for Europeans visiting India. They were made on purpose somewhat hypertrophied in comparison with battle samples zaghnal axes made in the late 18th - early 19th century. This was due to the fact that they were not used as weapons, but served to decorate oriental rooms, which were fashionable in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Rick · 25th November 2022, 06:58 AM

I can't disagree w Mahratt about the age, but from looking at the koftgari on the one with the Elephant and Tigers I notice that cross hatching done to the areas on the blade for a surface to apply the design is very neatly done with care.
The newer stuff shows this cross hatching extending beyond (visible outside the koftgari)and IMO detracts from the artisanship of those new pieces. A lot of the stuff coming out of Indian shops today shows this sloppiness. It's a shame.

francantolin · 25th November 2022, 07:09 PM

Hello,
Thank you for the comments,
here other pictures of the ''nice one''
showing the koftgari quality and precision as said before

A deco weapon but
not the first tourist bazar shop item
we could take back home for a few penny that sadly india has produced later ...

I hope ( but don't think so ) I can get the same result
electrolysing the rusty one, seems good but of lower quality..

francantolin · 25th November 2022, 07:12 PM

The pictures....

24th November 2022, 07:17 PM	#1
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 876	Two zaghnal for comments Good evening dear members ( or good morning !) Here are two large zaghnal axes I have. The less rusty was given to me by a really good friend years ago, I have bought the second one with the pike recently for a correct-not really expensive price. I found old post saying rhe ''rusty'' one is just a composite item of late 19th century Sure it's not well balanced at all ! Too heavy on the front But the xxl large crow beek point can perfore any kind of armor; I think /for me this part is not just a deco piece... Globally alll pieces are massive just the pike end seems deco / useless. All rusty patina with ''basic'' koftgari under the rust, I hesitate to clean it or leave it lile that. For the ''nicer one'' , I thought it was from end of 18th/early 19th but I found informations dating thèse type too at end of 19th century... The koftgari work is well done and all parts seems of ''higher" quality, The blade seems blued in many parts, I can not say if it's blued steel or painted so I hesitate to sand/ etch it ? What do you think ? Glad to hear tour comments Kind regards Attached Images

24th November 2022, 07:19 PM	#2
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 876	The massive ''rusty one'' Attached Images

25th November 2022, 07:12 PM	#6
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 876	The pictures.... Attached Images

24th November 2022, 08:23 PM	#3
mahratt Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Russia Posts: 1,042	Hello francantolin Congrats on the very cute zaghnal axes. As far as I know, these samples were made in the late 19th - early 20th century specifically for Europeans visiting India. They were made on purpose somewhat hypertrophied in comparison with battle samples zaghnal axes made in the late 18th - early 19th century. This was due to the fact that they were not used as weapons, but served to decorate oriental rooms, which were fashionable in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

25th November 2022, 06:58 AM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,293	I can't disagree w Mahratt about the age, but from looking at the koftgari on the one with the Elephant and Tigers I notice that cross hatching done to the areas on the blade for a surface to apply the design is very neatly done with care. The newer stuff shows this cross hatching extending beyond (visible outside the koftgari)and IMO detracts from the artisanship of those new pieces. A lot of the stuff coming out of Indian shops today shows this sloppiness. It's a shame.

25th November 2022, 07:09 PM	#5
francantolin Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 876	Hello, Thank you for the comments, here other pictures of the ''nice one'' showing the koftgari quality and precision as said before A deco weapon but not the first tourist bazar shop item we could take back home for a few penny that sadly india has produced later ... I hope ( but don't think so ) I can get the same result electrolysing the rusty one, seems good but of lower quality..