Antique Indian Sikh Sword British Pattern 1853 India Talwar Tulwar

Very rare antique 19th-century Indian Cavalry Trooper’s Sword in the Style of a British Pattern 1853 Cavalry Trooper’s Sword made by A.A. GHOLAM JEELAN, SIALKOT. Made circa 1860 in the city of Sialkot, which was part of the British Raj of India, before the creation of Pakistan. Sialkot was a key administrative region in the Northwest Frontier, connected with Punjab. So, it is possible that this sword was issued to the Sikh cavalry units in the British Raj Indian Army, since in the 19th century, period time, photos, drawings, and paintings depicting Sikh cavalrymen, many of them armed with the 1853 pattern saber.

A massive, sturdy, slightly curved single–edged blade with a single fuller on each side, is stamped on the right side of ricasso “A.A. GHOLAM JEELAN, SIALKOT”

A steel three-bar semi-basket hilt with knuckle bow pierced with a slot near the almond shape pommel to allow the fitting of a sword knot. The grip is mounted with a checkered leather grip-scale.

The hand-stitched brown leather-covered wooden scabbard, adorned with tooled chevrons, and supplied with two pronounced bands to install a suspension sash, in a typical Talwar manner, end-mounted with a large solid steel chape.

With over 50 years of experience in handling antique swords, I can confidently say that I have never come across another. This pattern of the Indian Cavalry Trooper’s Sword made by: A.A. GHOLAM JEELAN, SIALKOT.

MEASUREMENTS:

Overall length with scabbard: 92.5cm (36.42 inches).

Length of the sword without scabbard: 89.5 cm (35.24 inches).

Length of the blade: 77.5cm (30.51 inches).

Width of the blade at the hilt: 3.8 cm (1.5 inches).

Thickness of the blade at the spine: 9 mm

CONDITION:

In very good condition, for a sword over 160 years old, it shows age and use.