A south Indian katar

Jens Nordlunde · 11th February 2007, 05:01 PM

Here is a south Indian katar, most likely from Tanjore. Notice that the fishes have eyes on both the inside and the outside of the side guards. In the middle of each of the two cross bars, a steel ball is rolling. Under the hilt you can see two fish and two peacocks. A few of the seven little wheels in between the two cross bars can still turn, I guess the rest are rusted.

ward · 11th February 2007, 06:23 PM

This katar is one of the nicest pieces of chiseling in a katar to date that I have seen. If you get bored with it email me. Great piece

Jim McDougall · 12th February 2007, 01:09 AM

Truly a most beautiful katar, and as noted, almost certainly from Tanjore.
Elgood ("Hindu Arms and Ritual", p.162, fig. 15.39) notes 17th c. examples with the twin humped bars separated by connecting pins with small wheels, and suggests they are from the 'Tanjore school'. The flared sidebars which enclose panels of beautifully chiselled iconography are also characteristic.
The beaded bordering around these seem distinctive and unusual as not seen in most examples shown in references. This beading seems to reflect that feature often appearing in Indian art in depictions of figures wearing strings of pearls in miniatures etc.

The pair of fish is theologically auspicious in India of course, but the theme in the motif in the sidebars seems possibly to associate to the Pandyan Dynasty in early Tamil Nadu, whose royal emblem was the fish. Elgood (op.cit.p.134) notes that "...fish are frequently chiselled as subordinate decoration on the earlier Tanjore arms".
The fish, and notably, the peacock, are often featured in Tamil poetry.

The blade with triangular striated form seems to correspond to early form associated with Vijayanagara from about 16th c. and later supplanted by the influx of European blades.

I am curious about what these wheels in the grip represent, and it does seem significant that they do number seven, an important number symbolically. I think you once mentioned prayer wheels and I wonder if that might have any association. It does not seem that they would have any practical purpose (though it is curious they are mindful of the little scrolling wheel on my mouse here as I write this !

.

Any thoughts or other examples of these wheels in the grips of katars?

Best regards,
Jim

katana · 13th February 2007, 02:46 PM

Hi Jens,
Your Katar is a beautiful piece .... Is it worth trying to soak the Katar in an oil bath for a few hours.....to 'free' the rusted wheels.

Jens Nordlunde · 13th February 2007, 05:01 PM

Thank you Katana,

When I examine the wheels closely, some of the wheels will never turn, as they seem to be almost welded together with the cross bars, but I will try with some WD40 and see what happens. On the left picture you can see that it is the two wheels to the right, which can turn. Before I got it, someone had treated the blade with acid, probably due to heavy rust; fortunately the hilt was spared, as it took me endless hours before I had removed the dull grey colour, left from the acid, on the blade.

Jens

Dmitry · 4th July 2011, 06:52 AM

A wonderful piece, a feast for the eyes, really!
How did you remove the dull gray etch color from the blade?

Jens Nordlunde · 5th July 2011, 08:13 PM

Lew, you must mean one of these.

Lew · 5th July 2011, 08:52 PM

You read my mind.

11th February 2007, 05:01 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	A south Indian katar Here is a south Indian katar, most likely from Tanjore. Notice that the fishes have eyes on both the inside and the outside of the side guards. In the middle of each of the two cross bars, a steel ball is rolling. Under the hilt you can see two fish and two peacocks. A few of the seven little wheels in between the two cross bars can still turn, I guess the rest are rusted. Attached Images Last edited by Jens Nordlunde; 11th February 2007 at 05:56 PM.

12th February 2007, 01:09 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,957	Truly a most beautiful katar, and as noted, almost certainly from Tanjore. Elgood ("Hindu Arms and Ritual", p.162, fig. 15.39) notes 17th c. examples with the twin humped bars separated by connecting pins with small wheels, and suggests they are from the 'Tanjore school'. The flared sidebars which enclose panels of beautifully chiselled iconography are also characteristic. The beaded bordering around these seem distinctive and unusual as not seen in most examples shown in references. This beading seems to reflect that feature often appearing in Indian art in depictions of figures wearing strings of pearls in miniatures etc. The pair of fish is theologically auspicious in India of course, but the theme in the motif in the sidebars seems possibly to associate to the Pandyan Dynasty in early Tamil Nadu, whose royal emblem was the fish. Elgood (op.cit.p.134) notes that "...fish are frequently chiselled as subordinate decoration on the earlier Tanjore arms". The fish, and notably, the peacock, are often featured in Tamil poetry. The blade with triangular striated form seems to correspond to early form associated with Vijayanagara from about 16th c. and later supplanted by the influx of European blades. I am curious about what these wheels in the grip represent, and it does seem significant that they do number seven, an important number symbolically. I think you once mentioned prayer wheels and I wonder if that might have any association. It does not seem that they would have any practical purpose (though it is curious they are mindful of the little scrolling wheel on my mouse here as I write this !. Any thoughts or other examples of these wheels in the grips of katars? Best regards, Jim

5th July 2011, 08:13 PM	#7
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Lew, you must mean one of these. Attached Images

11th February 2007, 06:23 PM	#2
ward Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 637	This katar is one of the nicest pieces of chiseling in a katar to date that I have seen. If you get bored with it email me. Great piece

13th February 2007, 02:46 PM	#4
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	Hi Jens, Your Katar is a beautiful piece .... Is it worth trying to soak the Katar in an oil bath for a few hours.....to 'free' the rusted wheels.

13th February 2007, 05:01 PM	#5
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Thank you Katana, When I examine the wheels closely, some of the wheels will never turn, as they seem to be almost welded together with the cross bars, but I will try with some WD40 and see what happens. On the left picture you can see that it is the two wheels to the right, which can turn. Before I got it, someone had treated the blade with acid, probably due to heavy rust; fortunately the hilt was spared, as it took me endless hours before I had removed the dull grey colour, left from the acid, on the blade. Jens

4th July 2011, 06:52 AM	#6
Dmitry Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 607	A wonderful piece, a feast for the eyes, really! How did you remove the dull gray etch color from the blade?

5th July 2011, 08:52 PM	#8
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	You read my mind.