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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4
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Hello all!
I've finally gotten around to addressing my loose hilt problem on a very sad old tulwar. I was told it was excavated and boy do I believe it! Unfortunately someone got hold of it and went to town with an angle grinder or something else equally destructive. Anyway, I did remove the hilt and (in the only place the grinder couldn't reach) under the hilt I found an interesting makers mark or armory mark. Can anyone help me identify it? I took the best pics I could - hope you can help. ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 803
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Hi Timy,
Can't help with the mark, but it Is a very nice clear one. I got one a while ago that had also had the angle-grinder treatment, so had to be filed up and re-finished. If nothing else, it Does give you a reason to clean it, which otherwise you would not do... |
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#3 | |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4
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Your absolutely right. As far as the mark is concerned I can't even identify what kind of characters they are. Since I'm quite ignorant about these marks in general I was hoping that someone here might have seen something vaguely similar. |
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#4 |
Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 14
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Maybe somebody can make a guess at least at what this mark can stand for? I know that there are members here who are very knowledgeable about these weapons and their manufacture and I hope they can help with some info.
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#5 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4
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Anybody?
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#6 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,896
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Hi Timv,
While there is indeed considerable knowledge in the ranks here, it is often extremely specialized and sometimes those who are key in the study of Indian weapons are not at hand. While not specialized in the weapons of India, I will offer some observations that I hope will be of some help. First of all, weapons in this condition are my favorite as they are true warriors usually that have not yet been worked over, and are often snubbed by dealers as well as many collectors. These old warriors often have thier own stories uncrusted in the dark patination, history itself! If I may suggest, please bring it to static condition, but dont overclean it. This appears to be probably Rajput, or a talwar from Rajasthan regions and most likely early to mid 19th c. judging by its form, without consulting resources handy, this is my estimation. The deeply stamped cartouche is interesting, and since it is found under the hilt, is probably a makers stamp that may have numeric figures as these often had to do with contracts of blades produced I believe. It seems that armoury stamps typically were found on the blade visible in the fully mounted weapon. I have seen similar deep cartouche stamps on early tulwar blades that were present in blade near the hilt, but clearly visible, and these seem to have held Urdu characters. I have not seen translations of the examples seen unfortunately. These blades often had the trisula at the center of the blade which was a traditional and iconographic symbol. One of the best resources available on such symbolism is Robert Elgood's "Hindu Arms and Ritual" which although obviously focused on these weapons, also elaborates on the symbolism found in Indian weapons of much wider scope. While your tulwar may be 'excavated' in its condition, its presence is outstanding, and the marking intriguing, worthy of continued research. Thank you for posting it! Best regards, Jim |
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