Inscriptions dagger

Domi888 · 22nd May 2025, 05:19 PM

I would like to know what these inscriptions correspond to on this saber? THANKS

Jim McDougall · 23rd May 2025, 03:43 PM

Good solid example of a Udaipur style (Pant, 1980) tulwar from Rajasthan, mid to late 19th c. IMO.
While unusual to see numbers placed like this, various forms of administrative marks do occur that are aligned with issuance of arms in many situations.
It is noted that the numbers on blade and hilt are different. It does seem that it was once noted that in India, often blades and hilts were stored separately in many of the arsenal locations.

One suggestion offered was that this prevented the opportunity to acquire fully assembled weapons in the instance of insurgence, perhaps carry over from the Indian Mutiny of 1857. This of course remains speculative, but an interesting plausibility. Whatever the case, arms were assembled and refurbished in these locations.

The Native Indian cavalry units during the British Raj often carried tulwars rather than regulation British swords, this was a matter of choice as per the units themselves (I think one of the Wilkinson books from the 60s has listings of these issue selections). There are instances of unit markings on many such swords, however inconsistent.
There were private forces for various British commercial interests, who maintained security forces in their locations.

I can think of tulwars which were made in England for these cases, the ones I have seen were MOLE (Wilkinson subsidiary).

The letter and number on the hilt and variance with number on blade eliminate the potential for unit and rack numbers.

Domi888 · 23rd May 2025, 05:41 PM

Thank you very much for this informations

22nd May 2025, 05:19 PM	#1
Domi888 Member Join Date: Apr 2025 Posts: 11	Inscriptions dagger I would like to know what these inscriptions correspond to on this saber? THANKS Attached Images

23rd May 2025, 03:43 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,275	Good solid example of a Udaipur style (Pant, 1980) tulwar from Rajasthan, mid to late 19th c. IMO. While unusual to see numbers placed like this, various forms of administrative marks do occur that are aligned with issuance of arms in many situations. It is noted that the numbers on blade and hilt are different. It does seem that it was once noted that in India, often blades and hilts were stored separately in many of the arsenal locations. One suggestion offered was that this prevented the opportunity to acquire fully assembled weapons in the instance of insurgence, perhaps carry over from the Indian Mutiny of 1857. This of course remains speculative, but an interesting plausibility. Whatever the case, arms were assembled and refurbished in these locations. The Native Indian cavalry units during the British Raj often carried tulwars rather than regulation British swords, this was a matter of choice as per the units themselves (I think one of the Wilkinson books from the 60s has listings of these issue selections). There are instances of unit markings on many such swords, however inconsistent. There were private forces for various British commercial interests, who maintained security forces in their locations. I can think of tulwars which were made in England for these cases, the ones I have seen were MOLE (Wilkinson subsidiary). The letter and number on the hilt and variance with number on blade eliminate the potential for unit and rack numbers.

23rd May 2025, 05:41 PM	#3
Domi888 Member Join Date: Apr 2025 Posts: 11	Thank you very much for this informations