My New Tulwar (pics inside)

[John Linker]

Well, I got my new tulwar finally and hoped that some of you with far greater knowledge and experience might be able to help me with a few questions that I have.

The sword has a great presence in hand, and the tulwar hilt (as most of you well know) takes some adjusting to, but with a firm wrist becomes very comfortable indeed. The blade has a great distal taper, narrowing from about 1/2 cm at the hilt, to 1 millimetre just before the spatulate tip, which in itself is nearly half a millimetre thick, but for all this is very sturdy.

The photos that I have attached are the seller's photos, but i will attach my own as soon as i find my camera cable.

The blade has 4 very well executed fullers on each side, and two sets of markings, one of which seems to definitely be a makers mark ( a small anvil towards the tip) and the other which may be a makers mark or just simply decoration.
This other mark is a series of 7 small pictures, a snake like shape, and then a sun, and then a snake like shape etc. This is repeated in each of the four fullers on one side of the blade.

Does this ring any bells with anyone? My apologies in that I dont have photos of either of these markings, but i will get them up as soon as I can. Meanwhile, anything you could tell me about the sword (i.e. what part of india it's from, age etc.)would be much appreciated.

[Jens Nordlunde]

Hi John, welcome to the forum and congratulation with you ‘new’ tulwar.
Your tulwar is north Indian with an Indian blade, from the pictures it is hard to say how old it is. It would be interesting to see the markings as well as some measurers.

[John Linker]

Thankyou for the informative reply, here are some more photos, as promised;

profile:


"Snake" and "Sun" markings:


"Anvil"

[Jens Nordlunde]

It seems as if the blade is rather heavy, is it? The blade looks very broad, but is it also thick? Do you have a better picture of the ‘anvil’, and where on the blade is the ‘anvil’? The ‘snakes’ and the ‘suns’ can frequently be seen on Indian blades, and it most likely copied from European blades. Copied is also the Solingen wolf and several other European sword marks, like the one shown on the picture.
I don’t know how much you know about Indian weapons, so if that I write is ‘kid stuff’ for you, you must let me know.
The ricasso (the part just under the hilt which is not sharp) is typical Indian. Interesting that the fullers begin at the hilt, and not a bit down the blade.

[John Linker]

The blade is very well balanced actually; it's pretty substantial but narrows from about 1/2 a centimetre thick at the hilt, to about less than a millimetre for the spatulate tip.

Nothing of what you have written so far has been "kid stuff" to me, you know far more about these weapons than I do and I am grateful for your input.

I will post some more photos of the "Anvil" and another mark that I have just found (shaped like a greek "lambda" within a circle) tomorrow when there is more natural light.

Thanks again,
John Linker

[Jens Nordlunde]

Well, you see, I think what T.Donoho on SFI means is the point you can see at the square of the hilt. To my opinion this is where former a wheel was attached – like this one shown, although it might not have been fishes – more likely a wheel.