Carved ivory handles on Indian edged weapons

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by rand

Likhari,

Have you pondered removing the shellack from the ivory, it could make a very dramatic difference.


rand

Rand,

how exactly did you removed the shellack? Until now I removed shellack with Aceton or Nitro thinner from steel and silver but I think Aceton or Nitro might be too strong for ivory or wood.

Thank you,
Roland

[rand]

Hi Roland,

Has been quite a while since removing shellack off a weapon, but believe I used nail polish remover. Remember it came off quite quickly and the before and after was dramatic. Afterwards I apply japanese choi oil(pure choi oil, no water) in the same manner you would a japanese sword.

rand

[Likhari]

Thanks for the warm welcome Jim and also for your excellent comments on the weapons I posted.

Mr. Rand Milam is bang on as always about the scabbard. It is indeed a later addition and in no way matches the quality of the piece. The blade is what got me. It is possibly of Persian origin but the yelman and curvature is more reminiscent of a kilij (Maybe it is Turkish). The ivory handle is carved in low relief that I have seen on Indian Pesh Kabz handles like the one picture below from Bonhams; so I would hazard that it is Indian in origin and as Jim pointed out it is possibly Deccani from the post-Seringapatam period of the early 1800s. The 1796 guard also puts it in the early 1800s.