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Old 26th October 2006, 04:21 PM   #1
Flavio
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Default FIRANGI FOR COMMENTS

Hi all, this is arrived yesterday, my first firangi. Well i think is a true beauty . Any comment is welcome. Can someone help me for the age? Thanks guys
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Old 26th October 2006, 07:20 PM   #2
Lew
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flavio
Hi all, this is arrived yesterday, my first firangi. Well i think is a true beauty . Any comment is welcome. Can someone help me for the age? Thanks guys

My first firangi! nice ears on that firangi must have cost you a few bars of latinum
To the holo suites we go to test the sword Btw the guy with the big ears on the left is a firangi.

Nice sword Flavio!
Congrats

Lew
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Old 27th October 2006, 02:47 AM   #3
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Flavio,

Beautiful firangi. That is some interesting decoration on the hilt. There is something fascinating about old European blades being used on an Indian or Persian sword.

Were these blades made in Europe specifically for trading with other countries or are they more chance acquisitions that were re-hilted to be more convenient and familiar?

Is there any general way to determine the age or origin of the european blades used in these swords? For example, are there records of the companies that made or traded them, the quantites, etc?

John
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Old 27th October 2006, 02:51 AM   #4
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Are we sure the blade is European? Locals everywhere put "European" markings, often mangled ones, on their blades. Likely, a matter of upping the price.
I am wondering whether squiggly markings here are not a local rendition of the "running wolf"....
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Old 27th October 2006, 04:02 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ariel
Are we sure the blade is European? Locals everywhere put "European" markings, often mangled ones, on their blades. Likely, a matter of upping the price.
I am wondering whether squiggly markings here are not a local rendition of the "running wolf"....

Thank you Lew and John Ariel you mean that this couldn't be a firangi strictu sensu since the blade could be of local production? Running wolf??? What is it?
Thanks
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Old 27th October 2006, 04:29 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ariel
Are we sure the blade is European? Locals everywhere put "European" markings, often mangled ones, on their blades. Likely, a matter of upping the price.
I am wondering whether squiggly markings here are not a local rendition of the "running wolf"....
Flavio

I took this description from Artzi's site.

The name ‘Firangi’ (Foreigner) was given to these swords in the 17 Century, as they were mounted with European (Foreign) blades, which were highly valued. Some blades were locally made in the European style. The blades were mounted on the ‘Khanda’ style hilt usually with the long spike extending from the pommel which allows the use of the sword as a two handed sword.

I does not really matter if the blade is locally made or European it is still considered a firangi style sword. You can find kaskara and tulwars with Euro blades that does not make it something else it is still a kaskara or a tulwar. It is very hard to tell the difference between Euro and good quailty local blades Indian smiths were highly skilled at their craft. I understand the semantics here with regard to blade origin but I think after careful study we must consider the general style the determining factor and not where the blade came from.

Lew

Last edited by LOUIEBLADES; 27th October 2006 at 04:57 PM.
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Old 27th October 2006, 04:59 PM   #7
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Lew is perfectly correct: no matter what, this sword is a true Firanghi.
Having said that, I still suspect the blade is local: the markings do not correspond to anything European I've seen and look somewhat crudely executed. The " running wolf" is a mark of Passau (later Solingen). Local everywhere in the world imitated it with imagination running wild.
Do not take me wrong: the quality of the "local" blade might have been better than the original.
Good sword!
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