Indian Tulwar with "Human Figure?" mark

ALEX · 3rd May 2010, 09:51 AM

Here is a standard, quite ordinary Indian tulwar with heavy and strong blade, the hilt used to be covered with silver but all silver is gone now. Original scabbard covered in old velvet/silk. The blade is stamped on both sides with what appears as a stylized "human figure" mark. Any ideas on this mark? Many thanks.

kronckew · 3rd May 2010, 11:20 AM

? - Devanagari 'four' ?

lionzden · 3rd May 2010, 03:31 PM

looks a bit like the number four, except isnt curved in at the top and theres a dot below. cant think what else it could be

Jens Nordlunde · 3rd May 2010, 04:00 PM

Hi Alex,
The last of your pictures, the one where you show the mark, at which side is the hilt to the right or to the left?
Jens

ALEX · 3rd May 2010, 04:24 PM

Jens, the same mark was struck on each side of the blade: 14 cm from the base on the right side, and 17 cm on the left side. The same orientation - the "head" is oriented toward the tip of the blade, and "legs" toward the hilt, so on the picture the hilt is to the left.

Jens Nordlunde · 3rd May 2010, 04:51 PM

OK Alex, then the number '4' is out of the question, as inscriptions/marks are seen from the hilt, and this would mean that the number '4' would stand on its head - which is very unlikely.
I really don't know what it is, but should I guess, and I mean guess, then I would say it is a makers mark, or possible an armoury mark - but why on both sides of the blade?
Jens

ALEX · 3rd May 2010, 05:02 PM

Thanks to everyone for comments, and thanks Jens for confirming "not 4" verdict (very clever, by the way:-). I tend to agree - this is just a mark, maker's, armoury, etc.

3rd May 2010, 09:51 AM	#1
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Indian Tulwar with "Human Figure?" mark Here is a standard, quite ordinary Indian tulwar with heavy and strong blade, the hilt used to be covered with silver but all silver is gone now. Original scabbard covered in old velvet/silk. The blade is stamped on both sides with what appears as a stylized "human figure" mark. Any ideas on this mark? Many thanks. Attached Images

3rd May 2010, 11:20 AM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,183	? - Devanagari 'four' ? Attached Images

3rd May 2010, 03:31 PM	#3
lionzden Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 51	looks a bit like the number four, except isnt curved in at the top and theres a dot below. cant think what else it could be

3rd May 2010, 04:00 PM	#4
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Alex, The last of your pictures, the one where you show the mark, at which side is the hilt to the right or to the left? Jens

3rd May 2010, 04:24 PM	#5
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Jens, the same mark was struck on each side of the blade: 14 cm from the base on the right side, and 17 cm on the left side. The same orientation - the "head" is oriented toward the tip of the blade, and "legs" toward the hilt, so on the picture the hilt is to the left.

3rd May 2010, 04:51 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	OK Alex, then the number '4' is out of the question, as inscriptions/marks are seen from the hilt, and this would mean that the number '4' would stand on its head - which is very unlikely. I really don't know what it is, but should I guess, and I mean guess, then I would say it is a makers mark, or possible an armoury mark - but why on both sides of the blade? Jens

3rd May 2010, 05:02 PM	#7
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Thanks to everyone for comments, and thanks Jens for confirming "not 4" verdict (very clever, by the way:-). I tend to agree - this is just a mark, maker's, armoury, etc.