Tulwar handles on e-bay

Lee · 21st March 2017, 04:29 PM

Mr. Roy Elvis mentioned in his Timonium Ethnographic Arms presentation this past Saturday that many of the tulwar hilts with cut-away blades may have come from the armory at Thanjour (Thanjavur) in southern India. He related that at some point in the 19th century the (obsolete) weapons from the armory were dumped into a disused water storage structure on the palace grounds. Following a change in administration, these were retrieved with the best going into a local museum and other better examples being acquired by a gentleman whose name I failed to capture. The bulk were sent intended for recycling of the metal, but many were covertly retained except that the blades were cut away - likely due to the legal restrictions noted above.

Perhaps another attendee will better remember or has recorded that part of the presentation and can clarify on this. Mr. Elvis has generously consented to make his PowerPoint file with its embedded notes available to the community and also hopes to release a book on the topic of southern Indian arms later this year.

ariel · 22nd March 2017, 04:13 PM

The file and especially the book will be greatly appreciated.
If anyone gets a wind of the publication, please post it here!!!

21st March 2017, 04:29 PM	#1
Lee EAAF Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York, USA Posts: 932	The source of some Tulwar hilts with cut away blades Mr. Roy Elvis mentioned in his Timonium Ethnographic Arms presentation this past Saturday that many of the tulwar hilts with cut-away blades may have come from the armory at Thanjour (Thanjavur) in southern India. He related that at some point in the 19th century the (obsolete) weapons from the armory were dumped into a disused water storage structure on the palace grounds. Following a change in administration, these were retrieved with the best going into a local museum and other better examples being acquired by a gentleman whose name I failed to capture. The bulk were sent intended for recycling of the metal, but many were covertly retained except that the blades were cut away - likely due to the legal restrictions noted above. Perhaps another attendee will better remember or has recorded that part of the presentation and can clarify on this. Mr. Elvis has generously consented to make his PowerPoint file with its embedded notes available to the community and also hopes to release a book on the topic of southern Indian arms later this year.

22nd March 2017, 04:13 PM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The file and especially the book will be greatly appreciated. If anyone gets a wind of the publication, please post it here!!!