Need help identifying British style Afghan cavalry sabre

Jim McDougall · 25th June 2021, 06:55 PM

This is of course a British M1822 infantry officers sword (I'd like to see the cartouche in the hilt), and the multiple stamps in the blade correspond to issuance and inspection marks placed on the blade in England.

After the cessation of the 2nd Anglo-Afghan war (1878-1880) and the Treaty of Gandamak (1879) which established the Durand Line most of Afghan regions were under British suzerainty. As such the Afghan military became much Anglicized and uniforms and weaponry were often actually British produced.

In studies of these situations, research of years ago discussed the arsenal and factory at Mashin Khana (Kaar Khana e Jangalak) in Kabul. As this factory was the official arms production center and arsenal for Abdur Rahman Khan, most weapons were stamped with the Royal stamp (Mehrab and Munbar) .
It seems that while the factory effectively was established in 1880, none of the swords from there and with Royal stamp date before 1893, nor after 1903 (I have one dated 1896).

While I am not aware of a Royal stamp (with the lion head) used in that manner by Sher Ali Khan, it certainly does seem possible. Sher Ali Khan (1825-1879) certainly had provisional contact with Great Britain prior to the war and there was use of British weaponry.

It does seem that there were at least one or more arms factories in the area of the Mashin Khana in Kabul in these times, and while I cannot find the reference presently, there was a 'lions head' used as a mark.

I would suggest this is a British M1822 infantry officers sword adapted for Afghan use probably in early 1870s.

Will, the British manufacturers used this 'Gothic' hilt pattern to produce swords for many British colonial interests, and the oval cartouche has had devices and cyphers etc of numerous places, Ceylon, Nepal etc., I am not aware of these hilts being produced locally in any of these.

25th June 2021, 06:55 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,190	This is of course a British M1822 infantry officers sword (I'd like to see the cartouche in the hilt), and the multiple stamps in the blade correspond to issuance and inspection marks placed on the blade in England. After the cessation of the 2nd Anglo-Afghan war (1878-1880) and the Treaty of Gandamak (1879) which established the Durand Line most of Afghan regions were under British suzerainty. As such the Afghan military became much Anglicized and uniforms and weaponry were often actually British produced. In studies of these situations, research of years ago discussed the arsenal and factory at Mashin Khana (Kaar Khana e Jangalak) in Kabul. As this factory was the official arms production center and arsenal for Abdur Rahman Khan, most weapons were stamped with the Royal stamp (Mehrab and Munbar) . It seems that while the factory effectively was established in 1880, none of the swords from there and with Royal stamp date before 1893, nor after 1903 (I have one dated 1896). While I am not aware of a Royal stamp (with the lion head) used in that manner by Sher Ali Khan, it certainly does seem possible. Sher Ali Khan (1825-1879) certainly had provisional contact with Great Britain prior to the war and there was use of British weaponry. It does seem that there were at least one or more arms factories in the area of the Mashin Khana in Kabul in these times, and while I cannot find the reference presently, there was a 'lions head' used as a mark. I would suggest this is a British M1822 infantry officers sword adapted for Afghan use probably in early 1870s. Will, the British manufacturers used this 'Gothic' hilt pattern to produce swords for many British colonial interests, and the oval cartouche has had devices and cyphers etc of numerous places, Ceylon, Nepal etc., I am not aware of these hilts being produced locally in any of these.