Tulwar: solid silver handle.

ariel · 23rd May 2018, 05:08 AM

Alan,
I guess you mean there was a cavity in your handle?
Of course , mine has it too. One needs to stick a tang somewhere:-)
What I mean, the entire metal is 98% silver.
Pity you do not have yours anymore: I would love to compare the patterns.

A. G. Maisey · 23rd May 2018, 05:55 AM

I got rid of mine years ago, along with a lot of other nondescript sort of stuff.

I have had, and still do have some tulwar hilts that are not affixed to blades, they all seem to be made in the same way:- a shell is fabricated and then that shell is filled with the jabung/cutler's wax/resin --- or whatever, and the tang goes into that. The silver one I had was no different, a fabricated hollow shell full of gunk.

I now understand what you mean by 'solid silver'. Thank you.

Jens Nordlunde · 23rd May 2018, 02:40 PM

Ariel, fleur-de-lys decoration can be found on many different hilt types, and in different variations, as you can see in my catalogue.
I have a few silver hilted tulwars, and two of the have fleur-de-lys decoration on the disc.

ariel · 23rd May 2018, 03:09 PM

Jens,
Many thanks!
So they do exist. The questions of attibution and age still need to be solved.

Back to the books.
And if anybody here has any ideas, I shall be grateful for any hint.

Jens Nordlunde · 23rd May 2018, 03:46 PM

The ones I have seen are from Rajasthan - if I remember correctly. Oh yes, 'solid' silver hilts do exist, Khalili also shows one in his vol. XXI catalogue.

The age can vary a lot from 17th to 19th century
The hilt below is of steel and 17th to 18th century.

23rd May 2018, 02:40 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Ariel, fleur-de-lys decoration can be found on many different hilt types, and in different variations, as you can see in my catalogue. I have a few silver hilted tulwars, and two of the have fleur-de-lys decoration on the disc. Attached Images

23rd May 2018, 03:46 PM	#5
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	The ones I have seen are from Rajasthan - if I remember correctly. Oh yes, 'solid' silver hilts do exist, Khalili also shows one in his vol. XXI catalogue. The age can vary a lot from 17th to 19th century The hilt below is of steel and 17th to 18th century. Attached Images

23rd May 2018, 05:08 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Alan, I guess you mean there was a cavity in your handle? Of course , mine has it too. One needs to stick a tang somewhere:-) What I mean, the entire metal is 98% silver. Pity you do not have yours anymore: I would love to compare the patterns.

23rd May 2018, 05:55 AM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	I got rid of mine years ago, along with a lot of other nondescript sort of stuff. I have had, and still do have some tulwar hilts that are not affixed to blades, they all seem to be made in the same way:- a shell is fabricated and then that shell is filled with the jabung/cutler's wax/resin --- or whatever, and the tang goes into that. The silver one I had was no different, a fabricated hollow shell full of gunk. I now understand what you mean by 'solid silver'. Thank you.

23rd May 2018, 03:09 PM	#4
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Jens, Many thanks! So they do exist. The questions of attibution and age still need to be solved. Back to the books. And if anybody here has any ideas, I shall be grateful for any hint.