Cuphilt Sword with Damascus blade?

[AHorsa]

Hi there,

I would love to get your opinions on this sword.
Total length is 101cm, blade length is 82cm and blade width is 4,2cm.
There are minor remains of inscriptions on the blade, but most seems to have been "cleaned" away. The grip / wire was replaced I guess.
I am sure that the sword was "opened", cleaned and then re-assembled.

I would love to get your opinion if this sword is an authentic 17th century piece or a later copy.

How do you think about the pommel? It looks like a central european 17th century pommel. Do you think it anyhow could be belonging to the rest of the sword?

I am aware that blades were folded in this times but never found a european blade with such a structure. Is it possible that the blade is made from Damscus steel?

Thanks and best regards
Andreas

[mariusgmioc]

That blade is quite obviously pattern welded.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattern_welding

Moreover, the pattern looks very similar to the pattern I have seen on some Indian Tulwars.

Indian or maybe German 19th century Historismus? Do not know.

Let's hope some fellow members could add more.

[ulfberth]

Hi Andy ,
Everything fits the bill, the guard, the type of blade, the pommel is fancier than the cup, but perhaps this was an officer's sword hence the blade, or a gift to someone with status.
The pattern welds this visible is very unusual indeed, never seen it like that before, but to me its all original and with that blade quality you might have something very rare and more valuable than the common ones.
kind regards
Ulfberth

[Victrix]

Could it be a Portuguese colonial cuphilt with Indian pattern welded blade used in Goa?

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Victrix

Could it be a Portuguese colonial cuphilt with Indian pattern welded blade used in Goa?

Actually that is a wonderfully placed suggestion, and this arming sword is indeed in line with 18th century Portuguese and Spanish cup hilt arming swords.
The pattern welding though, I think remained known in Germany, ironically where its process nominally was begun with Viking swords many centuries before. The process was clearly not regularly carried on but it seems that there was experimentation trying too reproduce the wootz blades of India and the Middle East in the 18th c.

I am not sure with the wootz predomination in India that pattern welding would have been done, but again, the Goa suggestion is interesting.

The pommel does seem more European, and the plain unturned quillons are notable.

[AHorsa]

Thanks for your replies Gentlemen!

I was also thinking about a link to Indian Wootz steel and the Portugese engagement there. But the style of the blade must have been pretty european, taking also in account the remains of the inscriptions in the fuller (e.g. one can see an "O" very week). The blade als is amazingly flexible.

[mariusgmioc]

Originally Posted by Victrix

Could it be a Portuguese colonial cuphilt with Indian pattern welded blade used in Goa?

Very interesting indeed!

The blade is indeed of typical European shape but I see no reason why Indian smiths couldn't do it to meet a more specific European demand.

[AHorsa]

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

but I see no reason why Indian smiths couldn't do it to meet a more specific European demand.

No question, Marius. It is just not an Indian blade from its shape but possibly made in India in the European style