Need help with blade mark

[ariel]

That's all I have, sorry.

Anybody knows where from and how old?

Thanks.
Ariel

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by ariel

That's all I have, sorry.

Anybody knows where from and how old?

Thanks.
Ariel

Looks like a blade from a 'nimcha' mid 19th+ with this assembly of 'cosmological' theme resembling the Schimmelbusch style marking. This is typically a comet with this grouping of stars, but a moon could be variant. It seems merchants/armorers in trade entrepots would add these kinds of markings imitating various European marks from blades.

I think Bezdek has examples of these markings for Schimmelbusch, dont have access at the moment.

These two images are of the kinds of markings placed on these hanger or saber blades typically seen on nimcha type swords of mid 19th into early 20th c. The one with crescent moon resembling the Hausa 'dukari' but with crosses of the type seen on some 'koummya' blades from Moroccan regions.

[Jerseyman]

I don't have any information I'm afraid, but I do have an archive picture of one of my talwars to hand. No stats to share unfortunately. I thought the hilt style might help with assessing time and place.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Jerseyman

I don't have any information I'm afraid, but I do have an archive picture of one of my talwars to hand. No stats to share unfortunately. I thought the hilt style might help with assessing time and place.

Nice example of northwestern India talwar, probably Rajasthan or Sind, as per the decorative element center of cross guard, the swan neck knuckle guard from Rajasthan areas. It resembles the type seen in references on Talpurs of Baluchistan, but these were widely diffused so hard to be specific. Likely late 18th early 19th.

[Jerseyman]

I suppose the question is whether we think this is a trade blade or a local blade. I'm inclined toward saying it's a local blade because of the delamination on the blade edge, but happy to be proved wrong. If it's a trade blade then I guess it's a European mark, but I'm disposed to think it's an Indian armourer's mark.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Jerseyman

I suppose the question is whether we think this is a trade blade or a local blade. I'm inclined toward saying it's a local blade because of the delamination on the blade edge, but happy to be proved wrong. If it's a trade blade then I guess it's a European mark, but I'm disposed to think it's an Indian armourer's mark.

Its quite possible its a trade blade, as these were prevalent through the Arab/Indian trade entrepots. Indian armorers as far as I have known did not use makers marks like in Europe but did use various imitations of some European markings, most prevalent of course being the 'Genoan' sickle marks.

It appears this is a variation or copy of the marks used by Schimmelbusch in Solingen, and these were in the 19th c.