My first Tulwar-Disappointment

[Dom]

Originally Posted by VivatHussar

Recently i purchased by auction an tulwar that was supposed to be my first item of the planed collection. The pix looked not too bad, so the 85 Euro seemed to be an acceptable prize.

But when it arrived i was quite disappointed, of course i didn´t expect an masterpiece of forging art, but at least a munition grade exemplar with a functional blade for cutting tests.
But from my impression this seems to be a el cheapo tourist wallhanger, even as of an older date.
The blade is made in a quite crude way, with visible forging and grinding marks. It´s quite flimsy(just bout 3-4 mm at the base), plain and has just an hint of a cutting edge, European 19th century sabers are "sharper" then this. The are no visible maker marks. The hilt is also quite crude and made of very thin metal, but seems to me more genuine then the blade.

As that is my first contact to the world of Indian arms, i have trouble to come to a decisive conclusion. Is this a fake wallhanger blade with a possible old hilt or are basic Indian tulwars often made in in such an plain way, as dull as it is i doubt it its a functional fighting weapon at all
I would appreciate i you give me some advise, there are dozens of old European blades at home but eastern blades is a completely new topic to me.

Wecome "VivatHussar"
I'm not sure that it's a replica
you are correct, when you estimate that it's not a first quality
but it's not a reason, for that your "tulwar" been a fake
just a rough production 20th C.
I think that, for the price you paid, you didn't been too much screwed
don't expect to found on all blades, a blacksmith's mark, specially on "tulwar"
if I may provide you with an advice; watch and read as far as much you can
don't forget the fonction "pictures, or images" from "Google"

à +

Dom