Indians For Guns

A dear friend recently picked up this blade from an antique dealer. To my untrained eye it looks to be genuine enough, but am posting it here in case some of the more knowledgeable members could shed additional light on this blade (origin, approximate vintage etc.).

Thanking you all in anticipation...

Cheers!
Abhijeet

Interesting katar Abhijeet. I looks like an old specimen and the workmanship looks pretty good. Looks like it is studded with turquoise? Are the hand guard and handle bars made of brass or is it gold leaf covered?
The design (with additional hand guard etc) looks similar to some Deccan katars I have seen. There is a katar from Tanjore which bears some similar work here http://www.ruble-enterprises.com/katar.htm
It looks like a ceremonial katar from the looks of the blade.
Just my 2 cents worth

Regards,
Yaj.

Thank you Yaj, not sure about the stones - my friend says they could just as well be replacement plastic look alikes, I guess only a visit to the local jeweller will put that one to rest! The hand guard and handle bars have pieces of cloth stuck on which are visible in the third picture - clearly of recent vintage but made to look old. Do you think I should ask him to remove those (pieces of cloth) to see what is beneath?

BTW I am to visit this dealers place next week as he apparently has a couple of daggers/ katars with 2 muzzle loader pistols built in (on either side of the hilt), which are of particular interest to me. However, I'll be taking a call based (in part) on what you chaps have to say about this piece sold by him...

Cheers!
Abhijeet

mundaire wrote:Thank you Yaj, not sure about the stones - my friend says they could just as well be replacement plastic look alikes, I guess only a visit to the local jeweller will put that one to rest!

Turquoise is not that expensive any way, they could use it in a reproduction too.
But turquoise is quite soft and wears easily so it has to be pretty well preserved to be intact.Though sometimes it is treated with wax to make it more durable.

mundaire wrote:The hand guard and handle bars have pieces of cloth stuck on which are visible in the third picture - clearly of recent vintage but made to look old. Do you think I should ask him to remove those (pieces of cloth) to see what is beneath?

Yes i can see it on the handle bars. I suppose it can be removed.
I have seen a few modern reproductions and quite a few old pieces with gold or silver koftgiri added to them to increase their value(they think). But usually they look quite garish and i wouldnt touch them with a bargepole.
I am far from being an expert but the work on the hand guard ,on the ricasso etc looks pretty good. So if it is a reproduction they have done a good job .
Gut feel says : not modern.

mundaire wrote:BTW I am to visit this dealers place next week as he apparently has a couple of daggers/ katars with 2 muzzle loader pistols built in (on either side of the hilt), which are of particular interest to me. However, I'll be taking a call based (in part) on what you chaps have to say about this piece sold by him...

I would love to hear what the more knowledgeable members on the forum think too. Please try and take pics if the dealer permits so we can have a look

Regards,
Yaj

That's a nice piece. Looks like a standard katar, the turquoise colored pieces stand out- but to see them in person would be the only way to tell. The patina, like Yaj said, certainly looks like its seen many years. Do you see any pitting- or just surface rust?

Katars with hilted flintlocks can be quite the pricey purchase. All depends on their construction- the more koftgari, embellishments, etc + decent condition, the better the buy. The very best pieces can go upwards of $7,000. But replicas have also been produced in recent years, and one must be wary of those. Unless you want a good replica (nothing wrong with that- it's just that you don't want to buy one thinking its an original).

Do try to post pictures of them.

definitely south indian design.
some reproductions can be very good.

One thing that i can be sure of even by looking at the pics is that he katar is not well balanced.
This really is a point against it. If it didnt have decorations (feroza stone, cloth, etc), I could have thought it might be an antique but made by a country village smith.

If it were old, it would be better balanced.

The stones are lapiz lazuli which aint a very precious stone. A close up inspection can reveal whether it is genuinely antique or not. If it is, it is not of a royal heritage as the work and stones aint very precious.

Welcome to the forum! miss_3006, please introduce yourself..........