# Communities > Antique Arms & Armour Community > Middle-East, India & Africa (MEIA) >  Talwar Sword With Guard is it rare

## Edward F

Hi Anyone know how common this sword is?

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## Jens Nordlunde

Hi Edward,
The hand guard going from quillon to the disc is relatively rare, as it does not end in a flower bud or an animal head. The disc hand guard is even more rare, although it is seen now and again. I think the hilt is from somewhere in Rajasthan.
Regards
Jens

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## Edward F

Jens Thanks
 I have never seen this type of gaurd pictured in any book,very intersting sword.
Thanks

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## L. Braden

I beg to differ. Guards on tulwars (such as shown above) as well as katars were not at all rare. I have seen numerous examples of various types in numerous books; and Egerton, for one, depicts many of them in his classic on Indian arms.

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## David Lewis Smith

I have owned several and have sold off a few , not rare at all.  I see them quite often in Afghanistan

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## Emanuel Nicolescu

Hello,

I think Jens means the combination of knuckle guard that connects completely with the disk pommel, and disk guard (reminiscent of a European shell-guard) is somewhat rare. Based on the examples I've seen and owned, the knuckle guard, if present, tends to re-curve into a flower bud or indeed animal head and does not actually connect with the pommel. The regular quillon guard is , of course, common. 

Regards,
Emanuel

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## Edward F

I find it odd that in books and auction records i cant find a similar sword.I dont think the sword is all that valuble just interesting.The only sword with a similar disk shaped guard i found page 95 Hindu arms and rituals Elgood,1650 two handed sword picture att.Thanks for the input any one with a picture of a disk shaped guard on a talwar please foward it.
Thanks ed

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## L. Braden

Thanks, David, for confirming what I've seen in 19th-century books. There's no possible way of knowing how many pre-20th-century tulwars with the above-pictured hilt are still in existence (or are still being made, for that matter), and even if they rarely enter the market doesn't necessarily mean that they are rare. There was continuous warfare throughout Indian history, meaning that tulwars were mass-produced to meet the constant demand; and therefore when a swordsmith made a particular type, he didn't just make a few -- he made MANY. But if, in fact, a particular type is rare, it's probably only because the British authorities confiscated and destroyed every tulwar that they could lay their hands on, and prohibited their manufacture, after the Great Mutiny.

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## L. Braden

P.S. According to Act No. XXXI of 1860 of the Indian Penal Code, commonly known as "The Disarming Act", the possession of, manufacturing of, selling of, and purchasing of arms and ammunition without licenses was prohibited. The act provided for search and seizure; and the prohibited weapons included firearms, bayonets, swords, daggers, spears, and spearheads.

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## Dhairyasheel Joshi

Dear Sir , this is not rare at all . it was used by Maratha worriers , Rajput & Mughal of India since 15/16th century . Now also they are made but quality not so good and mainly made for just use in traditional marriages in some part of India . But if you want to see old & beautiful swords of this type , you can visit some musiums in India . Jaipur - Rajsthan musium has got very big collection of old weapons.

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