Art on the Battlefield
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In his new book, Arms and Armour at the Jaipur Court: The Royal Collection, Robert Elgood, an expert on arms and armour, describes the most fascinating weaponry in the collection of the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum
1. & 2. Sabre • Tulwar
Hilt: Mughal, 19th century; blade: Persian, late 17th or early 18th century; The steel tulwar's hilt is inlaid with two-colour gold and silver flowers. The Persian flamboyant watered steel blade has inlaid inscription at the forte
3. Chilanum
Deccan, third quarter of the 17th century; The bright steel hilt is of 'X' form with a knuckleguard, large triangular languet and two sets of quillons
4. Khanjar
South Indian, possibly Mysore, second half of the 17th century; The pistol-grip steel hilt is made in sections with an appliquecypress tree design covering the joint
5. Chilanum
Deccan, possibly Ahmadnagar; second half of the 17th century; One-piece steel dagger has a double-edged recurved blade with reinforced point. The central sunken panel has three raised ribs and a lotus motif at the forte
6. Combination katar and pistol
Jaipur, late 18th century; A pair of flintlock pistols with turn-off barrels and folding triggers is mounted on the katar
7. Axe • Tabarzin
North Indian, second quarter of 18th century; The watered steel axe head has contrasting gold decoration on a cross-hatched ground along with a leather shield
8. Soldiers in traditional attire.
A 19th-century photograph from the Palace archive
9. Priming flask • Hamancha
North India, 18th century; The chinkara horn priming flask has ivory ends, the filler in the form of a painted green makara swallowing a whole boar holds the stopper in its mouth.
Chinkara horn priming flask • Barut-dan
Rajput, second half of the 17th or early 18th century; The carved ivory gunpowder priming flask is in the form of a chinkara with black painted upper body.
10. Pistol • Tabanca
English with later Indian decoration, c. 1685
11. Indian flintlock gun
Alwar, 1839; The Indian lock has a rain-proof pan and the frizzen spring has a roller
12. Mace • Kaunodaki
The all-steel mace has a lotus bud head
13. Exercise bow • Lezam
Rajput, 19th century; The large, reflex, chahar khambow is made of horn, sinew and wood
14. Crowbill • Zaghnol • Jagnol • Dao
Rajput, c. 1830; The steel head has a triangular razor-edged blade with reinforced point and sunken central sections with raised ribs
15. Helmet • Khud
Deccan, 16th century; A watered steel helmet
16. Cuirass • Char-aina
Persia, mid-19th century; This cuirass comprises four plates, the inner section is made of watered steel
17. Armguards • Bazuband
Mughal, Delhi, 17th or early 18th century with later additions
1. & 2. Sabre • Tulwar
Hilt: Mughal, 19th century; blade: Persian, late 17th or early 18th century; The steel tulwar's hilt is inlaid with two-colour gold and silver flowers. The Persian flamboyant watered steel blade has inlaid inscription at the forte
3. Chilanum
Deccan, third quarter of the 17th century; The bright steel hilt is of 'X' form with a knuckleguard, large triangular languet and two sets of quillons
4. Khanjar
South Indian, possibly Mysore, second half of the 17th century; The pistol-grip steel hilt is made in sections with an appliquecypress tree design covering the joint
5. Chilanum
Deccan, possibly Ahmadnagar; second half of the 17th century; One-piece steel dagger has a double-edged recurved blade with reinforced point. The central sunken panel has three raised ribs and a lotus motif at the forte
6. Combination katar and pistol
Jaipur, late 18th century; A pair of flintlock pistols with turn-off barrels and folding triggers is mounted on the katar
7. Axe • Tabarzin
North Indian, second quarter of 18th century; The watered steel axe head has contrasting gold decoration on a cross-hatched ground along with a leather shield
8. Soldiers in traditional attire.
A 19th-century photograph from the Palace archive
9. Priming flask • Hamancha
North India, 18th century; The chinkara horn priming flask has ivory ends, the filler in the form of a painted green makara swallowing a whole boar holds the stopper in its mouth.
Chinkara horn priming flask • Barut-dan
Rajput, second half of the 17th or early 18th century; The carved ivory gunpowder priming flask is in the form of a chinkara with black painted upper body.
10. Pistol • Tabanca
English with later Indian decoration, c. 1685
11. Indian flintlock gun
Alwar, 1839; The Indian lock has a rain-proof pan and the frizzen spring has a roller
12. Mace • Kaunodaki
The all-steel mace has a lotus bud head
13. Exercise bow • Lezam
Rajput, 19th century; The large, reflex, chahar khambow is made of horn, sinew and wood
14. Crowbill • Zaghnol • Jagnol • Dao
Rajput, c. 1830; The steel head has a triangular razor-edged blade with reinforced point and sunken central sections with raised ribs
15. Helmet • Khud
Deccan, 16th century; A watered steel helmet
16. Cuirass • Char-aina
Persia, mid-19th century; This cuirass comprises four plates, the inner section is made of watered steel
17. Armguards • Bazuband
Mughal, Delhi, 17th or early 18th century with later additions
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First Published: Jun 20 2015 | 12:23 AM IST