Brass-hilted Sosun Pattah for Comment/Discussion with a Translation Request...

laEspadaAncha · 19th October 2011, 07:34 PM

So 2011 has so far been a pretty good year on the collecting front. But a couple weeks ago, I had the chance to pick up what I believe to be one of my best finds of the year...

This was the "crown jewel" in a moderate-sized local collection, a brass-hilted sosun pattah I believe dates to the mid-18th century (or thereabouts). The old collection tag reads, "Sosun Patta -- from Mysor, S. India." However, in sharing this with a couple forumites, both a possible Deccan and Rajput attribution have been discussed as well.

The sword measures about 78 cm in length. The blade is of wedge-shaped, triangular cross-section, and measures 67 cm long and 3.5 cm in width for the length of the blade until it swells at the forward curve. There is a false edge that extends 26 cm from the (armor-piercing) tip. The ricasso measures 5.4 cm. There is a cartouche, in Urdu I think, on the obverse (pics below).

But IMO the real gem is the brass hilt. The iconography incorporates Hindi makara and Mughal floral chiseling with what appears to be a Mysore bubri motif on the sides of the (face of the) zoomorphic pommel, styled in the form of what looks like a makara-stylized tiger (or tiger-stylized makara?). The figural quillons are also of makara form, though the figural langlets lack the distinctive upturned snout present on the quillons and the pommel, and to my eye they appear feline in form.

The grip is divided into four panels, one panel covering the top, the bottom, and each side of the grip. The floral chiseling repeats on each panel.

Anyway, I think it's a fine piece that exhibits the nuanced integration of the many cultural influences present in 18th century India. I'm hoping someone can assist with a translation of the (partial) cartouche in the hopes that it may help further assist in attributing this piece to a more specific time, place, or even person.

In looking at (more than a few) references over the past couple of weeks, there definitely appears to be a significant deviation from the "usual" makara depiction, and the pointed (top-mounted) ears, bubri motif, and stripes on the back of the head all look distinctly tigerish to my eyes…

I know the zoomorphic pommel & langlets are found on Lucknow hilts, but aren't Lucknow hilts usually enameled?

Anyway, I look forward to hearing your thoughts and observations…

AJ1356 · 20th October 2011, 02:25 PM

Very nice, the blade reads Ya Allah یا الله pretty much meaning Oh Allah or Oh Lord.

Runjeet Singh · 20th October 2011, 04:46 PM

A lovely sword, I love these Zoomorphic pieces. I would describe the animal as a Makara, rather than a South Indian Yali. The south Indian Yali or Yarli, is much more grotesque, especially those from the Tamil Nadu area.

The Makara head pommel coupled with the mirrored Makara langets and qullion, is likely to be a flattering copy of those earlier swords produced in Mysore. We see this design regularly on late 19th Century South Indian brass hilted bichawas made in that area. My guess would be that this sword was late 18th Century or early 19th Century and from the Mysore or Deccan, possibly Hyderabad, this would lend itself well to the Islamic script on the blade.

Regards,
Runjeet Singh

laEspadaAncha · 20th October 2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJ1356

Very nice, the blade reads Ya Allah یا الله pretty much meaning Oh Allah or Oh Lord.

Thanks, AJ... I'm posting a couple additional photos of the cartouche, including one in which I tried (with poor results) to reconstruct what appear to be two more characters in the cartouche. Pardon the poor reconstruction...

laEspadaAncha · 20th October 2011, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by runjeet@akaalarms.com

A lovely sword, I love these Zoomorphic pieces. I would describe the animal as a Makara, rather than a South Indian Yali. The south Indian Yali or Yarli, is much more grotesque, especially those from the Tamil Nadu area.

The Makara head pommel coupled with the mirrored Makara langets and qullion, is likely to be a flattering copy of those earlier swords produced in Mysore. We see this design regularly on late 19th Century South Indian brass hilted bichawas made in that area. My guess would be that this sword was late 18th Century or early 19th Century and from the Mysore or Deccan, possibly Hyderabad, this would lend itself well to the Islamic script on the blade.

Regards,
Runjeet Singh

Hello Runjeet,

Thank you for your input...

Interesting note, as the tag the former owner had attached also read, "Moslem Tipso Sultan or Hyder Ali" at the bottom (an obvious reference to Tipu Sultan, which I understood as an attribution of general time frame, not ownership).

And it is encouraging to hear it might indeed have a S. Indian origin... Of all the pieces in my collection (including a Mysore or Tamil bichwa I found in a chor bazaar in Karnataka back in '97 or '99), my wife, who is from Bangalore, finally connected with this one. I've never seen her take to one of my pieces before, virtually drooling while turning it over in her hand like a pair of Manolo Blahnik's...

AJ1356 · 21st October 2011, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by laEspadaAncha

Thanks, AJ... I'm posting a couple additional photos of the cartouche, including one in which I tried (with poor results) to reconstruct what appear to be two more characters in the cartouche. Pardon the poor reconstruction...

Sorry can not make much out of it.

Gavin Nugent · 21st October 2011, 07:35 AM

A lovely piece and thanks for sharing.

In particular I like the thickened tip, a nice aspect not often shown.

Gav

Jens Nordlunde · 21st October 2011, 02:29 PM

Ok, I seem to be alone with my opinion on the Sossun Pata, as I don’t believe it is from Deccan or Hyderabad, and nor do I believe it was Tipu’s pillow sword – yes, I know that no one claimed that it is.

The marks at the side of the head are not Bubris they are Cintamani markings. These Cintamani marks were used a lot in Ottoman Empire and in Persia for decoration, and also in countries under Persian influence – the Mughal Empire.

I believe it to be Rajasthani. The fact that the hilt is made of brass does not mean it is from Deccan, as brass hilts were also made in Rajasthan and even in Afghanistan. It is true that they more often used brass hilts in Deccan, but that is not any proof.

The floral decoration on the hilt is to me more Rajasthani than it is Deccani, and the fact that the pommel and the ends of the quillons are Makara heads, points more to Rajasthan than to Deccan. The Makara, a fable amphibian animal, was used far more to the north than in Deccan, where they mostly used the fable ‘tiger/lion’ Wyali/Yali/Yarli.

To this comes that the blade is from the north with its reinforced tip.

It is difficult to judge the age from a picture, but my guess would be 18th to early 19th century.

Jens

laEspadaAncha · 21st October 2011, 07:18 PM

AJ - Thanks again for both the partial translation and for the attempted read of my (bad) reconstruction...

Gav - Thanks mate... I'm including below a photo of the thickened tip.

Jens - Thank you for your input. For my own edification, are there examples of similar Cintamani motifs you can point me towards? A cursory search turned up nothing but tri-lobes and wavy lines, though by contrast, I've found examples of similarly-executed bubri motif...

I'm also curious about the stripes (in the form of linear striations) that appear on the back of the makara head (and ears) - which I'll have to photograph and upload - and how (if at all) their appearance might affect your interpretation of the motif on the (sides of the) makara head. In the meantime, I've included another photo below with the area in question circled for the clarity of other forumites.

Cheers,

Chris

laEspadaAncha · 22nd October 2011, 02:36 AM

Below is one of the examples I have found with a bubri motif I think resembles the motif on my own example (on the lateral surfaces of the pommel as circled above). It is the pommel of a pesh kabz that sold earlier this year at Sotheby's. Dated to ca. 1790, it is described as having a bubri motif with a possible Seringapatam attribution.

Also, one of the questions I have had is whether the styling of the makara may serve as a clue to the origin of the sword, given the variety of stylistic differences that seem to appear in the form. I also find it interesting that the styling of the makara (on the chape) appears to bare some resemblance to my example with regards to the pronounced nasal ridge and the ribbing...

Photos below...

Bubri motif:

Makara chape:

Dagger:

Spine with recurring bubri:

Link to lot: Mysore Pesh Kabz

ETA to add a photo showing the two motifs side-by-side:

19th October 2011, 07:34 PM	#1
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Brass-hilted Sosun Pattah for Comment/Discussion with a Translation Request... So 2011 has so far been a pretty good year on the collecting front. But a couple weeks ago, I had the chance to pick up what I believe to be one of my best finds of the year... This was the "crown jewel" in a moderate-sized local collection, a brass-hilted sosun pattah I believe dates to the mid-18th century (or thereabouts). The old collection tag reads, "Sosun Patta -- from Mysor, S. India." However, in sharing this with a couple forumites, both a possible Deccan and Rajput attribution have been discussed as well. The sword measures about 78 cm in length. The blade is of wedge-shaped, triangular cross-section, and measures 67 cm long and 3.5 cm in width for the length of the blade until it swells at the forward curve. There is a false edge that extends 26 cm from the (armor-piercing) tip. The ricasso measures 5.4 cm. There is a cartouche, in Urdu I think, on the obverse (pics below). But IMO the real gem is the brass hilt. The iconography incorporates Hindi makara and Mughal floral chiseling with what appears to be a Mysore bubri motif on the sides of the (face of the) zoomorphic pommel, styled in the form of what looks like a makara-stylized tiger (or tiger-stylized makara?). The figural quillons are also of makara form, though the figural langlets lack the distinctive upturned snout present on the quillons and the pommel, and to my eye they appear feline in form. The grip is divided into four panels, one panel covering the top, the bottom, and each side of the grip. The floral chiseling repeats on each panel. Anyway, I think it's a fine piece that exhibits the nuanced integration of the many cultural influences present in 18th century India. I'm hoping someone can assist with a translation of the (partial) cartouche in the hopes that it may help further assist in attributing this piece to a more specific time, place, or even person. In looking at (more than a few) references over the past couple of weeks, there definitely appears to be a significant deviation from the "usual" makara depiction, and the pointed (top-mounted) ears, bubri motif, and stripes on the back of the head all look distinctly tigerish to my eyes… I know the zoomorphic pommel & langlets are found on Lucknow hilts, but aren't Lucknow hilts usually enameled? Anyway, I look forward to hearing your thoughts and observations… Attached Images

21st October 2011, 07:18 PM	#9
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	AJ - Thanks again for both the partial translation and for the attempted read of my (bad) reconstruction... Gav - Thanks mate... I'm including below a photo of the thickened tip. Jens - Thank you for your input. For my own edification, are there examples of similar Cintamani motifs you can point me towards? A cursory search turned up nothing but tri-lobes and wavy lines, though by contrast, I've found examples of similarly-executed bubri motif... I'm also curious about the stripes (in the form of linear striations) that appear on the back of the makara head (and ears) - which I'll have to photograph and upload - and how (if at all) their appearance might affect your interpretation of the motif on the (sides of the) makara head. In the meantime, I've included another photo below with the area in question circled for the clarity of other forumites. Cheers, Chris Attached Images

22nd October 2011, 02:36 AM	#10
laEspadaAncha Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 608	Below is one of the examples I have found with a bubri motif I think resembles the motif on my own example (on the lateral surfaces of the pommel as circled above). It is the pommel of a pesh kabz that sold earlier this year at Sotheby's. Dated to ca. 1790, it is described as having a bubri motif with a possible Seringapatam attribution. Also, one of the questions I have had is whether the styling of the makara may serve as a clue to the origin of the sword, given the variety of stylistic differences that seem to appear in the form. I also find it interesting that the styling of the makara (on the chape) appears to bare some resemblance to my example with regards to the pronounced nasal ridge and the ribbing... Photos below... Bubri motif: Makara chape: Dagger: Spine with recurring bubri: Link to lot: Mysore Pesh Kabz ETA to add a photo showing the two motifs side-by-side: Attached Images Last edited by laEspadaAncha; 22nd October 2011 at 06:59 AM.

20th October 2011, 02:25 PM	#2
AJ1356 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Nashville Posts: 314	Very nice, the blade reads Ya Allah یا الله pretty much meaning Oh Allah or Oh Lord.

20th October 2011, 04:46 PM	#3
Runjeet Singh Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Warwickshire, England Posts: 150	A lovely sword, I love these Zoomorphic pieces. I would describe the animal as a Makara, rather than a South Indian Yali. The south Indian Yali or Yarli, is much more grotesque, especially those from the Tamil Nadu area. The Makara head pommel coupled with the mirrored Makara langets and qullion, is likely to be a flattering copy of those earlier swords produced in Mysore. We see this design regularly on late 19th Century South Indian brass hilted bichawas made in that area. My guess would be that this sword was late 18th Century or early 19th Century and from the Mysore or Deccan, possibly Hyderabad, this would lend itself well to the Islamic script on the blade. Regards, Runjeet Singh

21st October 2011, 07:35 AM	#7
Gavin Nugent Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 2,818	A lovely piece and thanks for sharing. In particular I like the thickened tip, a nice aspect not often shown. Gav

21st October 2011, 02:29 PM	#8
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Ok, I seem to be alone with my opinion on the Sossun Pata, as I don’t believe it is from Deccan or Hyderabad, and nor do I believe it was Tipu’s pillow sword – yes, I know that no one claimed that it is. The marks at the side of the head are not Bubris they are Cintamani markings. These Cintamani marks were used a lot in Ottoman Empire and in Persia for decoration, and also in countries under Persian influence – the Mughal Empire. I believe it to be Rajasthani. The fact that the hilt is made of brass does not mean it is from Deccan, as brass hilts were also made in Rajasthan and even in Afghanistan. It is true that they more often used brass hilts in Deccan, but that is not any proof. The floral decoration on the hilt is to me more Rajasthani than it is Deccani, and the fact that the pommel and the ends of the quillons are Makara heads, points more to Rajasthan than to Deccan. The Makara, a fable amphibian animal, was used far more to the north than in Deccan, where they mostly used the fable ‘tiger/lion’ Wyali/Yali/Yarli. To this comes that the blade is from the north with its reinforced tip. It is difficult to judge the age from a picture, but my guess would be 18th to early 19th century. Jens