Please help to id

Hernan · 31st May 2006, 10:50 PM

Hi:
Congratulations for your forum.
Someone can help me to identify this?

http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.ph...e=IMG_0659.jpg
http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.ph...e=IMG_0660.jpg
http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.ph...e=IMG_0663.jpg

I bought it it China, supposedly from Mongolia.
Many thanks in advance.

Regards, Hernan.

P.D. Sorry for the pictures....

Andrew · 31st May 2006, 11:33 PM

Welcome.

It's called a katar. From India.

ariel · 31st May 2006, 11:53 PM

Being paranoid about anything with the "Chinese Connection", I would advice thorough but gentle cleaning with WD-40 and a soft cloth. There is a lot of red (fresh?) rust and the Chinese are masters of artificial aging. The handle is of South Indian style, with a convex base, but I have never seen such a long wavy blade on a katar, almost a Moro Kris. Katar is supposed to be a stabbing weapon; this one is mostly a "slasher". My fear is that cleaning might reveal signs of recent "marriage". Look for a rivet of strange coloring, thermal damage etc.
If I am wrong, congratulations, you got yourself a winner!

Henk · 1st June 2006, 08:24 AM

Herman,

Welcome to the forum.

I'm afraid Ariel is a little bit very right. You bought it in China? I bet they told you it belong to a general of the chinese imperial army.
There is only one rule for chinese weapons: CAVEAT EMPTOR !!!!

IainN · 1st June 2006, 01:24 PM

I have found one example of a similar katar. Apparently with a 23" blade.

But I am concerned by the patina on your piece. As the others have mentioned buying anything from China with a blade is a risky proposition. The nature of the rusting is extremely consistent with other faked pieces I've seen in a variety of styles coming out of China. On the other hand a quick search on ebay didn't turn up an analog so you might be in the clear.

However I am concerned by how closely your piece resembles the one I posted. While I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination on katars, I do try to keep up with Chinese fakes since I have an interest in authentic Chinese pieces, and to my eyes the two are just too similiar.

Hernan · 1st June 2006, 02:10 PM

Many thanks to all of you.

I bought it in China, but not in a market. I bought it from an old man, out of town. It wasn't on sale. I saw it on the wall, when having dinner with him, at his place.

I will clean it with WD40 this weekend and let you know.The fresh rust you can see it is my fault. I had it in a basement and was in contact with some water.

ariel · 1st June 2006, 04:24 PM

There is still some hope!
Wish you luck!

BSMStar · 1st June 2006, 06:08 PM

Maybe its just me...

The blade pictured by IainN is 13 luk...

Hernan's blade is 6 luk (seems like an unlucky number to me).

ariel · 3rd June 2006, 06:48 AM

Hola Hernan,

The best steaks I have ever tasted were in Buenos Aires, 2 orders of magnitude better than Tokyo Kobe beef ( Nihonto croud, sorry, but it is true...). However, my Argentinian friends told me that for REAL beef one had to drive ~4 hours to Montevideo. True or not?

Hernan · 5th June 2006, 02:28 PM

True. Good to hear that at least one argentinian admits it.
We used to be free of "foot and mouth" without vaccins, but had to begin inoculate because of our neighbours.....but still the best beef.

I've cleaned the katar. Now I'm trying to find any documentation that can help me to check whether it is real or fake.

31st May 2006, 10:50 PM	#1
Hernan Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Montevideo Uruguay Posts: 5	Please help to id Hi: Congratulations for your forum. Someone can help me to identify this? http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.ph...e=IMG_0659.jpg http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.ph...e=IMG_0660.jpg http://www.yourfilehost.com/media.ph...e=IMG_0663.jpg I bought it it China, supposedly from Mongolia. Many thanks in advance. Regards, Hernan. P.D. Sorry for the pictures....

31st May 2006, 11:33 PM	#2
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Welcome. It's called a katar. From India.

31st May 2006, 11:53 PM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Being paranoid about anything with the "Chinese Connection", I would advice thorough but gentle cleaning with WD-40 and a soft cloth. There is a lot of red (fresh?) rust and the Chinese are masters of artificial aging. The handle is of South Indian style, with a convex base, but I have never seen such a long wavy blade on a katar, almost a Moro Kris. Katar is supposed to be a stabbing weapon; this one is mostly a "slasher". My fear is that cleaning might reveal signs of recent "marriage". Look for a rivet of strange coloring, thermal damage etc. If I am wrong, congratulations, you got yourself a winner!

1st June 2006, 08:24 AM	#4
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Herman, Welcome to the forum. I'm afraid Ariel is a little bit very right. You bought it in China? I bet they told you it belong to a general of the chinese imperial army. There is only one rule for chinese weapons: CAVEAT EMPTOR !!!!

1st June 2006, 01:24 PM	#5
IainN Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 31	I have found one example of a similar katar. Apparently with a 23" blade. But I am concerned by the patina on your piece. As the others have mentioned buying anything from China with a blade is a risky proposition. The nature of the rusting is extremely consistent with other faked pieces I've seen in a variety of styles coming out of China. On the other hand a quick search on ebay didn't turn up an analog so you might be in the clear. However I am concerned by how closely your piece resembles the one I posted. While I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination on katars, I do try to keep up with Chinese fakes since I have an interest in authentic Chinese pieces, and to my eyes the two are just too similiar.

1st June 2006, 02:10 PM	#6
Hernan Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Montevideo Uruguay Posts: 5	Many thanks to all of you. I bought it in China, but not in a market. I bought it from an old man, out of town. It wasn't on sale. I saw it on the wall, when having dinner with him, at his place. I will clean it with WD40 this weekend and let you know.The fresh rust you can see it is my fault. I had it in a basement and was in contact with some water.

1st June 2006, 04:24 PM	#7
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	There is still some hope! Wish you luck!

1st June 2006, 06:08 PM	#8
BSMStar Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO USA Posts: 312	Maybe its just me... The blade pictured by IainN is 13 luk... Hernan's blade is 6 luk (seems like an unlucky number to me).

3rd June 2006, 06:48 AM	#9
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Hola Hernan, The best steaks I have ever tasted were in Buenos Aires, 2 orders of magnitude better than Tokyo Kobe beef ( Nihonto croud, sorry, but it is true...). However, my Argentinian friends told me that for REAL beef one had to drive ~4 hours to Montevideo. True or not?

5th June 2006, 02:28 PM	#10
Hernan Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Montevideo Uruguay Posts: 5	True. Good to hear that at least one argentinian admits it. We used to be free of "foot and mouth" without vaccins, but had to begin inoculate because of our neighbours.....but still the best beef. I've cleaned the katar. Now I'm trying to find any documentation that can help me to check whether it is real or fake.