Indian sword

Freddy · 23rd May 2007, 07:53 PM

I know, I'm mostly interested in African weapons.

But I saw this one and couldn't let it go

.........I'm just weak !

It's an Indian sword, of that I'm sure. Probably a 'tulwar' or 'talwar'. It has a wooden sheath covered with leather.
The handle is made of braided iron wire with an engraved handprotection.
The blade is very sharp and made of some kind of laminated steel.

Total length is about 86 cm.

There's something missing at the top of the handle. Could anyone tell me what should be there ? I'm also interested in its origin.

And last question : is it possible to get the missing piece.

Freddy · 23rd May 2007, 07:55 PM

Andrew · 23rd May 2007, 08:18 PM

Freddy, I don't think that's Indian. It's a piso podang from Aceh, Sumatra.

Here's a nice article by RhysMichael (John Crosby): http://home.comcast.net/~jtcrosby/Aceh.html

Looks quite nice, too.

Henk · 23rd May 2007, 08:22 PM

Andrew, you hit the nail. Congrats Freddy, with this beauty.

Freddy · 23rd May 2007, 08:32 PM

So it's Indonesian ? In fact, the person I bought this one from had two other swords which I could identify as Indonesian : a mandau and a hunting sword with the inscription 'Tjikr'

I found some info on this last knife on this forum : http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=tjikeroeh

In fact, here's a picture of the lot :

ariel · 23rd May 2007, 08:34 PM

Sorry, Andrew and Henk, not Piso Podang; just Pedang Type 1 as per our own expert Albert's book

I am intrigued by the pommel, though: it is, indeed, hollow like in Piso. I think it is an artefact of the broken handguard.
Very nice!

Andrew · 23rd May 2007, 08:46 PM

I don't have Albert's book with me, Ariel, but JT's article indicates this is, more specifically, a peudeueng peusangan with a hulu meu apet.

(At least I got the origin and half the name correct.

).

Jens Nordlunde · 23rd May 2007, 09:44 PM

It is not Indian, and what the other members have written sounds right to me, congratulations

. Funny really, that so 'relativly' little difference of the hilt, makes the sword quite another sword of origin. So watch out for details.
I think you did well Andrew

.

23rd May 2007, 07:53 PM	#1
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Indian sword I know, I'm mostly interested in African weapons. But I saw this one and couldn't let it go .........I'm just weak ! It's an Indian sword, of that I'm sure. Probably a 'tulwar' or 'talwar'. It has a wooden sheath covered with leather. The handle is made of braided iron wire with an engraved handprotection. The blade is very sharp and made of some kind of laminated steel. Total length is about 86 cm. There's something missing at the top of the handle. Could anyone tell me what should be there ? I'm also interested in its origin. And last question : is it possible to get the missing piece.

23rd May 2007, 07:55 PM	#2
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	more pics

23rd May 2007, 08:32 PM	#5
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Oupss ! So it's Indonesian ? In fact, the person I bought this one from had two other swords which I could identify as Indonesian : a mandau and a hunting sword with the inscription 'Tjikr' I found some info on this last knife on this forum : http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=tjikeroeh In fact, here's a picture of the lot :

23rd May 2007, 09:44 PM	#8
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	It is not Indian, and what the other members have written sounds right to me, congratulations. Funny really, that so 'relativly' little difference of the hilt, makes the sword quite another sword of origin. So watch out for details. I think you did well Andrew.

23rd May 2007, 08:18 PM	#3
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Freddy, I don't think that's Indian. It's a piso podang from Aceh, Sumatra. Here's a nice article by RhysMichael (John Crosby): http://home.comcast.net/~jtcrosby/Aceh.html Looks quite nice, too.

23rd May 2007, 08:22 PM	#4
Henk Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,209	Andrew, you hit the nail. Congrats Freddy, with this beauty.

23rd May 2007, 08:34 PM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Sorry, Andrew and Henk, not Piso Podang; just Pedang Type 1 as per our own expert Albert's book I am intrigued by the pommel, though: it is, indeed, hollow like in Piso. I think it is an artefact of the broken handguard. Very nice!

23rd May 2007, 08:46 PM	#7
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	I don't have Albert's book with me, Ariel, but JT's article indicates this is, more specifically, a peudeueng peusangan with a hulu meu apet. (At least I got the origin and half the name correct. ).