The Moser Collection 1912

[Jens Nordlunde]

Hi Andrew,

Maybe you can be ‘trapped’ into the Indian area; there are still many parts of witch you have not seen.
I will bring more pictures to show you what you have ‘missed’. I am crying for you – but it is you choice.

Jens

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

Hi Andrew,

Maybe you can be ‘trapped’ into the Indian area; there are still many parts of witch you have not seen.
I will bring more pictures to show you what you have ‘missed’. I am crying for you – but it is you choice.

Jens

Hi Jens,

I'm not in any danger of abandoning my dha, but you do know my weaknesses.

In the black and white photo towards the top of the thread, I note an unusual "hooked" bladed katar. This configuration seems counter-intuitive for a punching weapon. Have you seen or handled one like it?

Best,
Andrew

[Jens Nordlunde]

Hi Andrew,
The ‘hooked’ katar is indeed a most unusual katar type. Unfortunately I have only seen this type on pictures, and Moser has written very little about it. ‘Hooked katar with pierced side guards’. One thing you can be sure of is, that next time I get to Bern to see the collection; I will be looking for it.

Hi Artzi,
You are right, Henri Moser had a fantastic collection, 1300 weapons, and about the same number of manuscripts, textiles and other artefacts. It is a pity that Ernst is not at the museum any more, and that they have taken the exhibition of the weapon down – who knows when ti will be on exhibition again.

[tom hyle]

the wootz samples are interesting. Note the rungs do not go all the way across on the Kirk Narduban example; the notches appear to have been forged down in making the curve/bevel. I notice the hooked katar is the kind with a rivetted blade. Thes blades are often or usually remounts from other sources (commonly cut up obsolete European swords though of course that is not the case here).

[estcrh]

Does anyone have other Moser images?

[estcrh]

More.

[corrado26]

Oh yes, I have the catalogue of 1955
corrado26