Decoration on Indian hilts

[Jens Nordlunde]

Decoration on Indian hilts have been made in many different ways like, cut in relief, cut in relief and gilded, true damascening (inlay), false damascening (koftgari), gilded and the design removed to be seen in negative, inlaid with stones, enamel and stones and enamel. There are other kinds of decorations, just as there are different kinds of koftgari and four or five different ways to make enamel.
Hilts were either cast or forged. The more complicated hilts in high relief were most likely cast in cire perdu (lost wax), and the less complicated hilts forged.
The design for a hilt was normally chosen at the shop of a gold smith, where a big number of different designs were drawn on palm leaves (true and false damascening) or at the shop of a bracelet maker (enamel).

As enamel most probably is the kind of decoration less known, I will give a few historic data from the book Jeypore Enamels by S.S.Jacob and T.H.Hendley.
In Handbook of the Arts of the Middle Ages, Labarte writes that enamelling most likely has been introduced in Persia around 531 AD, and in Historie de la Chine by Pauthier the author quotes a document in which is stated that a merchant of Youetchi, or Scythia, introduced the art of making glass of different colours into China, in the reign of Thaiwonti about 430 AD. In a museum in Cairo there are some jewels of the Queen Aahhotep, who lived about 1700 BC. They are ornamented with blue glass and a species of cloisonné enamel. These facts seem to indicate a Turanian origin of the art, and there are many points connected with its practice in India, which would appear to confirm the theory. It is remarkable that the best enamellers in Europe have been Etruscan Florentines, and in modern India the Sikhs, both, it has been observed, of Turanian descent.

Amongst the designs used were flowers like, Lotus, Roses, Lilies, Chrysanthemum Indicum, Narcissus, Poppies and others, as well as Peacocks, Cranes, Doves, Parrots, Tigers, Lions and several other animals can be seen.
Flowers are often difficult to recognize when it comes to inlay or koftgari, they can even be so stylized that any recognition is impossible. It is somewhat easier when it comes to enamel decorations where the colours are of great help.

Often you will see, when flowers have been used, that only one type of flower is used for the decoration, sometimes you will see two kind of flowers used, but then normally mixed, more seldom you will see two or more different flowers used, but each flower by itself.

The decoration on the hilt shown is, to the best of my knowledge poppies judging from the leaves.
These were very popular for decoration, and opium very well known in India.
When someone of Royalty was jailed, and the whole thing got a bit embarrassing, he was offered a glass of milk with opium to drink. He did not get anything to eat or drink before the had drunk the milk – so when he died, nobody had killed him – he had taken his own life.

[Jens Nordlunde]

Here the flowers are made in enamel, the pieces are made for the back of grips.
From the book Jaypore Enamels by S.S.Jacob and T.H.Hendley.

[Jeff D]

Thanks Jens, is there any way you can show us the key to the flowers?

Thanks
Jeff

[Jens Nordlunde]

Yes, he does show objects and write the name of the flowers, but don't be surprised if I show other thinga than hilts and mounts, when explaning which flowers it is.

Jens

[Mare Rosu]

JENS
This is the hilt of the Mysore dagger a Pesh Kabz,
Would you please tell me what the flowers are? The end of the hilt as you can see has 6 petals on the flower while the sides of the hilt have only 4 petals, but all the petals look alike to me..

You asked in the Magnetic Weapons thread about the hilt. I do think it is solid as it is very heavy. I also think it is brass gold plated. The green stone, in the end of the hilt, is the replacement Peridot.
Gene

[Jens Nordlunde]

Gene, thank you for a sleepless night . I cant tell you at pressent, but I will return to morrow - hopefully with an answer - or at least a guess.
This is all very difficult, but if we can pin point the flowers we are quite a step further. Flowers, colours and animals were not only decoration - they had their own meaning beyond the decorative thing.

Jens

[Jens Nordlunde]

Gene, I still don't know, but I am looking into it, and when I know I will let you know. Remember that flowers cut in the steel, are less likely to have many details, whereas hilts cast in cire perdy or enamelled hilts have far more details.
To study Indian textiles with flowers can be a big help, as the mane of the flowers are often given.
Notice that Crysanthemum Indicum is not the same Chrysanthemum as the one you see in Japanese and Chinese decorations.
The decoration shown is, to the best of my knowledge Roses and made in cire perdy.

[Jens Nordlunde]

Jeff, it is not very precise, but I hope it helps a little.

Plate 6. The flowers on both hilts are the Chrysanthemum Indicum. The Tiger and Lion are always proper terminations for Indian swords. The Hakim Shahi hilt (b) is of the ordinary Indian form.

[Jens Nordlunde]

Plate 7. The sword hilt (a) has a pistol shaped head such as is more often used for daggers. The flowers are the Lily and Chrysanthemum Indicum. Roses, Lilies, and buds of another flower enrich the hilt (d), which is suitable for an English straight sword. It has a knuckle-guard.
Name of enameller Hari Singh.

[ariel]

Any flower with thorns is a rose.
Any flower without thorns is a tulip.
This classification served me rather well over the years: my wife had to take full responsibility fot the flower bed and I am not asked to get involved.