A firangi from the Bikaner armoury

Jens Nordlunde · 7th February 2008, 04:50 PM

Can anyone help me, translating the text on this blade?

Lew · 7th February 2008, 08:26 PM

Jens

The letters are Sanskrit my friend looked at it and said it translates to hand held weapon or shastra or sastra such as a sword or mace. Astra means weapon but is usually used to refer to missile types such as arrows. There is a reference to weapons of power in the Mahabharata. There could be some religious significance to the inscription but I can't be sure

Lew

Jens Nordlunde · 8th February 2008, 01:51 PM

Thank you Lew.
I mlike inscriptions on blades, but I like even more, to know what the inscription says

.
Jens

katana · 8th February 2008, 08:13 PM

Hi Jens

,
can't help with the inscription ....but could you post some pictures of the entire sword.

Regards David

Jens Nordlunde · 8th February 2008, 09:34 PM

Here it is.

Rick · 8th February 2008, 09:49 PM

Same armory I believe .

spiral · 8th February 2008, 10:06 PM

Interesting to see the inscriptions were done on different occasions, with different tools, inscribed or chiseled partialy & then dot punch on another occasion as well.

Fascinating pieces showing much history.

Spiral

Sikh_soldier · 8th February 2008, 11:21 PM

Hi Jens, can't help with you with something you don't know but here's something you probably do know..........That has to be the best Firangi's I have ever seen.......
Regards
Bali

Rick · 9th February 2008, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spiral

Interesting to see the inscriptions were done on different occasions, with different tools, inscribed or chiseled partialy & then dot punch on another occasion as well.

Fascinating pieces showing much history.

Spiral

Different peoples and different times Spiral ?

Jens Nordlunde · 9th February 2008, 10:30 AM

Yes Rick, the dot marks are from the Bikaner armoury, but I don't know what the other letters mean.

Bali, thank you for trying.

Yes Spiral this is interesting, and as the one inscription is an armoury mark, the other one could, maybe, be a personal marking. Another possibility could be, that the letters were on the blades, and the blades were looted after a battle, and brought to the Bikaner armoury, where they were marked again. I doubt that we will ever know as long as we don't know whet the text says.

Edward F · 26th December 2014, 10:30 PM

Very interesting subject to me,The quality of construction and design of these weapons I believe original Bikaner armoury weapons.

Jens
the first letter I don't know
The inscription I believe translates to a name( Sapad Rusan)
Inscribed after construction (most likely the weapons owner)

The dotted armoury mark is upside down to the name
translation 2544

Jens Nordlunde · 27th December 2014, 04:07 PM

Rick,
I have bee looking closer at your attached picture in post no 6, and it looks to me as if there is something hidden in/or under the last dot number - is it so?
Please show the whole sword.
I am not quite sure, but to me it seems as if the two inscriptions does not have anything to do with each other. I rather think they are made by different persons and at differen places.

Edward,
Thank you for the translation. It is always very interesting to know what it says.

Jens

Rick · 27th December 2014, 07:09 PM

From Artzi's archives :
http://www.oriental-arms.com/photos.php?id=1048
If there is anything it is no more than a small lazy L mark from what I can see in my hand; I would guess that it might be part of the first letter .

I notice your Firangi has some similar grind marks as mine does on part of its edge .

This sword would be a Sukhela ?

estcrh · 28th December 2014, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

From Artzi's archives :
http://www.oriental-arms.com/photos.php?id=1048
If there is anything it is no more than a small lazy L mark from what I can see in my hand; I would guess that it might be part of the first letter .

I notice your Firangi has some similar grind marks as mine does on part of its edge .

This sword would be a Sukhela ?

Almost straight and slender blade forged from good Crystalline Indian wootz (Damascus) steel. The blade is 31 inches long with 10 inches false edge and three narrow fullers, marked with an armory catalog number in punch design (common to swords from Rajasthan). Whole steel handle, of the shape common in Tulwar swords. Total length 35 ½ inches.

Jens Nordlunde · 28th December 2014, 02:39 PM

Rick,
Yes it did have some grinding markings on the edge, but I removed them.
Here is before and after.

7th February 2008, 04:50 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	A firangi from the Bikaner armoury Can anyone help me, translating the text on this blade? Attached Images

8th February 2008, 01:51 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Thank you Lew. I mlike inscriptions on blades, but I like even more, to know what the inscription says. Jens

8th February 2008, 09:34 PM	#5
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Here it is. Attached Images

8th February 2008, 09:49 PM	#6
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,291	Sanskrit Also ? Same armory I believe . Attached Images

9th February 2008, 10:30 AM	#10
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Yes Rick, the dot marks are from the Bikaner armoury, but I don't know what the other letters mean. Bali, thank you for trying. Yes Spiral this is interesting, and as the one inscription is an armoury mark, the other one could, maybe, be a personal marking. Another possibility could be, that the letters were on the blades, and the blades were looted after a battle, and brought to the Bikaner armoury, where they were marked again. I doubt that we will ever know as long as we don't know whet the text says. Last edited by Jens Nordlunde; 9th February 2008 at 01:29 PM. Reason: Spelling error

7th February 2008, 08:26 PM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Jens The letters are Sanskrit my friend looked at it and said it translates to hand held weapon or shastra or sastra such as a sword or mace. Astra means weapon but is usually used to refer to missile types such as arrows. There is a reference to weapons of power in the Mahabharata. There could be some religious significance to the inscription but I can't be sure Lew

8th February 2008, 08:13 PM	#4
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi Jens , can't help with the inscription ....but could you post some pictures of the entire sword. Regards David

8th February 2008, 10:06 PM	#7
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	Interesting to see the inscriptions were done on different occasions, with different tools, inscribed or chiseled partialy & then dot punch on another occasion as well. Fascinating pieces showing much history. Spiral

8th February 2008, 11:21 PM	#8
Sikh_soldier Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 87	Hi Jens, can't help with you with something you don't know but here's something you probably do know..........That has to be the best Firangi's I have ever seen....... Regards Bali

26th December 2014, 10:30 PM	#11
Edward F Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 54	bikaner markings Very interesting subject to me,The quality of construction and design of these weapons I believe original Bikaner armoury weapons. Jens the first letter I don't know The inscription I believe translates to a name( Sapad Rusan) Inscribed after construction (most likely the weapons owner) The dotted armoury mark is upside down to the name translation 2544

27th December 2014, 04:07 PM	#12
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Rick, I have bee looking closer at your attached picture in post no 6, and it looks to me as if there is something hidden in/or under the last dot number - is it so? Please show the whole sword. I am not quite sure, but to me it seems as if the two inscriptions does not have anything to do with each other. I rather think they are made by different persons and at differen places. Edward, Thank you for the translation. It is always very interesting to know what it says. Jens Last edited by Jens Nordlunde; 27th December 2014 at 04:23 PM.

27th December 2014, 07:09 PM	#13
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,291	From Artzi's archives : http://www.oriental-arms.com/photos.php?id=1048 If there is anything it is no more than a small lazy L mark from what I can see in my hand; I would guess that it might be part of the first letter . I notice your Firangi has some similar grind marks as mine does on part of its edge . This sword would be a Sukhela ?

28th December 2014, 02:39 PM	#15
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Rick, Yes it did have some grinding markings on the edge, but I removed them. Here is before and after. Attached Images