Pattern welded Indian axe.

capt.smash · 17th April 2005, 04:57 PM

Hi guys i recently won this Indian axe[im asumeing its Indian it has an Indian look to it] and cant reseist shareing it with you even though it hasent actualy arived yet

.Does anyone know what part of Indian this is from and does this style have a particular name?Look at the lovely pattern welding on the blade ,i cant wait to examin it closer.Does anyone have some pics of similar examples?

tom hyle · 17th April 2005, 11:30 PM

It is Indian, from people sometimes referred to as "wild tribes"; Dravidians, I think. It does have a name, but I can't recall it. Very nice looking. The handle appears pretty traditional. Old ones are often, but not always thickened at the butt, and bound with metal or other bands, or with rattan(?) over long strips of metal (like lagnets), and a metal covering on the protruding tip of the handle. What are these called? Dang! I forget......the blades are generally welded to the shaft that connects to the socket, as seems to be the case here, but usually built up and visibly overlaid, whereas this one has been finished to an even-looking surface. BLades are seen with convex or concave edges, or double concave with a point in the middle, and other variations. The socket is often decorated with raised bands that run around it, but I don't know if I've seen the facets before.

tom hyle · 18th April 2005, 10:16 AM

Ooh! Bulova or bullova is the name; after a day of only being able to think of "bulatoe" (a sword from Nias, Indonesia). I might have an old Fagan catelogue with pictures, but they might've been in the one I gave away to the guy I swapped my m'pungi (ivory trumpet) to; I gave him one that was selling some of those.....I think Oriental Arms has had one or more for sale; may be sold by now; does Oriental Arms list sold items? I don't remember; been a while....

capt.smash · 18th April 2005, 07:53 PM

Hiya Tom

yeah Bullova is the one

i am familiar with these by sight [example shown below],i was unsure wether or not my particular shaped blade would fall into this category or not?but there are definate similarities,the type i show below is from the Chota Nagpur tribes of central India.So it would seem likely my axe comes from some where in that region ...thanks for the reply

The pattern reminds me of crockodile skin

.....there are some other similar examples on oriental arms but im not sure i can post the pics because of copyright?

tom hyle · 19th April 2005, 02:04 AM

An odder one with three rivetted sockets, with a seperate lagnet passing under them: ebay #6516556973

17th April 2005, 04:57 PM	#1
capt.smash Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Devon ,England Posts: 80	Pattern welded Indian axe. Hi guys i recently won this Indian axe[im asumeing its Indian it has an Indian look to it] and cant reseist shareing it with you even though it hasent actualy arived yet .Does anyone know what part of Indian this is from and does this style have a particular name?Look at the lovely pattern welding on the blade ,i cant wait to examin it closer.Does anyone have some pics of similar examples? Attached Images Last edited by capt.smash; 17th April 2005 at 05:17 PM.

17th April 2005, 11:30 PM	#2
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	It is Indian, from people sometimes referred to as "wild tribes"; Dravidians, I think. It does have a name, but I can't recall it. Very nice looking. The handle appears pretty traditional. Old ones are often, but not always thickened at the butt, and bound with metal or other bands, or with rattan(?) over long strips of metal (like lagnets), and a metal covering on the protruding tip of the handle. What are these called? Dang! I forget......the blades are generally welded to the shaft that connects to the socket, as seems to be the case here, but usually built up and visibly overlaid, whereas this one has been finished to an even-looking surface. BLades are seen with convex or concave edges, or double concave with a point in the middle, and other variations. The socket is often decorated with raised bands that run around it, but I don't know if I've seen the facets before. Last edited by tom hyle; 18th April 2005 at 04:08 PM.

18th April 2005, 07:53 PM	#4
capt.smash Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Devon ,England Posts: 80	Hiya Tom yeah Bullova is the one i am familiar with these by sight [example shown below],i was unsure wether or not my particular shaped blade would fall into this category or not?but there are definate similarities,the type i show below is from the Chota Nagpur tribes of central India.So it would seem likely my axe comes from some where in that region ...thanks for the reply The pattern reminds me of crockodile skin .....there are some other similar examples on oriental arms but im not sure i can post the pics because of copyright? Attached Images

18th April 2005, 10:16 AM	#3
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Ooh! Bulova or bullova is the name; after a day of only being able to think of "bulatoe" (a sword from Nias, Indonesia). I might have an old Fagan catelogue with pictures, but they might've been in the one I gave away to the guy I swapped my m'pungi (ivory trumpet) to; I gave him one that was selling some of those.....I think Oriental Arms has had one or more for sale; may be sold by now; does Oriental Arms list sold items? I don't remember; been a while....

19th April 2005, 02:04 AM	#5
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	An odder one with three rivetted sockets, with a seperate lagnet passing under them: ebay #6516556973