Tulwar: solid silver handle.

A. G. Maisey · 23rd May 2018, 04:33 AM

Ariel, I once owned a tulwar with a silver hilt, it was not solid, in the sense that it was silver from one side to the other, but it was true silver, not plated. Fabrication was the same as other tulwar hilts, a fabricated shell filled with jabung (cutler's wax)

ariel · 23rd May 2018, 05:08 AM

Alan,
I guess you mean there was a cavity in your handle?
Of course , mine has it too. One needs to stick a tang somewhere:-)
What I mean, the entire metal is 98% silver.
Pity you do not have yours anymore: I would love to compare the patterns.

A. G. Maisey · 23rd May 2018, 05:55 AM

I got rid of mine years ago, along with a lot of other nondescript sort of stuff.

I have had, and still do have some tulwar hilts that are not affixed to blades, they all seem to be made in the same way:- a shell is fabricated and then that shell is filled with the jabung/cutler's wax/resin --- or whatever, and the tang goes into that. The silver one I had was no different, a fabricated hollow shell full of gunk.

I now understand what you mean by 'solid silver'. Thank you.

Jens Nordlunde · 23rd May 2018, 02:40 PM

Ariel, fleur-de-lys decoration can be found on many different hilt types, and in different variations, as you can see in my catalogue.
I have a few silver hilted tulwars, and two of the have fleur-de-lys decoration on the disc.

ariel · 23rd May 2018, 03:09 PM

Jens,
Many thanks!
So they do exist. The questions of attibution and age still need to be solved.

Back to the books.
And if anybody here has any ideas, I shall be grateful for any hint.

Jens Nordlunde · 23rd May 2018, 03:46 PM

The ones I have seen are from Rajasthan - if I remember correctly. Oh yes, 'solid' silver hilts do exist, Khalili also shows one in his vol. XXI catalogue.

The age can vary a lot from 17th to 19th century
The hilt below is of steel and 17th to 18th century.

23rd May 2018, 02:40 PM	#4
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Ariel, fleur-de-lys decoration can be found on many different hilt types, and in different variations, as you can see in my catalogue. I have a few silver hilted tulwars, and two of the have fleur-de-lys decoration on the disc. Attached Images

23rd May 2018, 03:46 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	The ones I have seen are from Rajasthan - if I remember correctly. Oh yes, 'solid' silver hilts do exist, Khalili also shows one in his vol. XXI catalogue. The age can vary a lot from 17th to 19th century The hilt below is of steel and 17th to 18th century. Attached Images

23rd May 2018, 04:33 AM	#1
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,064	Ariel, I once owned a tulwar with a silver hilt, it was not solid, in the sense that it was silver from one side to the other, but it was true silver, not plated. Fabrication was the same as other tulwar hilts, a fabricated shell filled with jabung (cutler's wax)

23rd May 2018, 05:08 AM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Alan, I guess you mean there was a cavity in your handle? Of course , mine has it too. One needs to stick a tang somewhere:-) What I mean, the entire metal is 98% silver. Pity you do not have yours anymore: I would love to compare the patterns.

23rd May 2018, 05:55 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,064	I got rid of mine years ago, along with a lot of other nondescript sort of stuff. I have had, and still do have some tulwar hilts that are not affixed to blades, they all seem to be made in the same way:- a shell is fabricated and then that shell is filled with the jabung/cutler's wax/resin --- or whatever, and the tang goes into that. The silver one I had was no different, a fabricated hollow shell full of gunk. I now understand what you mean by 'solid silver'. Thank you.

23rd May 2018, 03:09 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Jens, Many thanks! So they do exist. The questions of attibution and age still need to be solved. Back to the books. And if anybody here has any ideas, I shall be grateful for any hint.