Interesting saber

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by Gustav

It is as far from my area of interest in edged weapons as NP from SP.


Is there a possibility this koftgari is recently refurbished or, let's say, repainted, or perhaps, even recently created? I think there is..

NP from SP? Sorry I feel a bit obtuse.

This made me look more closely at the pictures. In Turkoman's eighth picture of the original post, and the final one of the koftgari, there does appear to be a grid of awl marks. So, there was encrustation work done on the blade at some point. Is it original, I would love to know! I made a thread enquiring about these and other floral motifs about six months ago in the Miscellaneous forum and did not get any takers. I am in the process of my own research and if I ever get satisfactory information I will revive it someday if another doesn't first.

[Jim McDougall]

The application of koftgari on an older blade seems to have been often a case, as with this form of Indian tulwar (of Persian form) which IMO is from the Deccan. It is mounted with a British M1788 light cavalry saber blade, and as can be seen, decorated with koftgari, but in limited field at the forte.

While it is tempting to think of this as from the early period after Seringapatam (1799) and affiliated with East India Company, there are any number of possibilities (many possible stories ) . The point pertains to the koftgari application associated with British swords and blades in the colonial sphere.

[Gustav]

North Pole/South Pole