Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Help with identifying a pair of pattas (gauntlet swords)!

manishkulkarni · 30th March 2019, 05:56 PM

Hello All,

I'm a real newbie to antique swords and never intended to be a collector - it just happened!

Most of what I've collected is over 2018, it all started from a Firangi. I was born and brought up in Mumbai, the state of Maharashtra which was the home of the great Maratha empire and it's talismanic leader King Shivaji Maharaj. I share the same mother tongue Marathi, so there was a natural affinity to Maratha swords; however, my main focus is on collecting swords from the British Raj era - anything that was manufactured or retailed in India. Can't explain why I feel so emotional about it, but it's a fascinating link to the legacy of how India as a nation shaped up!

My aim is to collect from every retailer from the Raj times - I currently have swords from Manton & Co, Rankin & Com, Walter Locke & Co and Harman & Co. Below is a snap of the rack I built just a few months ago!

Now on to my question - I've recently acquired two beautiful pattas at an auction, again something very Maratha and I'd been on the look out for a long time! The question is - can anybody guess the approximate period, and equally importantly, the area/kingdom where these might have originated? The elephant and tiger styling probably ought to be unique to a particular princely state/kingdom, although I've seen tiger shaped patta examples before.

What's also interesting is that both hilts are rather small, even for an India hand. I've a relatively small hand/palm and I can just about get through the forearm protector, and it all fits really snugly. Could it be for boy/teenager or perhaps man of small stature - certainly smallish hands! My friends can't even get their hands through to the grip.

Any help with the identification, I'd be eternally grateful!

Regards,
Manish

30th March 2019, 05:56 PM	#1
manishkulkarni Member Join Date: Mar 2019 Posts: 20	Help with identifying a pair of pattas (gauntlet swords)! Hello All, I'm a real newbie to antique swords and never intended to be a collector - it just happened! Most of what I've collected is over 2018, it all started from a Firangi. I was born and brought up in Mumbai, the state of Maharashtra which was the home of the great Maratha empire and it's talismanic leader King Shivaji Maharaj. I share the same mother tongue Marathi, so there was a natural affinity to Maratha swords; however, my main focus is on collecting swords from the British Raj era - anything that was manufactured or retailed in India. Can't explain why I feel so emotional about it, but it's a fascinating link to the legacy of how India as a nation shaped up! My aim is to collect from every retailer from the Raj times - I currently have swords from Manton & Co, Rankin & Com, Walter Locke & Co and Harman & Co. Below is a snap of the rack I built just a few months ago! Now on to my question - I've recently acquired two beautiful pattas at an auction, again something very Maratha and I'd been on the look out for a long time! The question is - can anybody guess the approximate period, and equally importantly, the area/kingdom where these might have originated? The elephant and tiger styling probably ought to be unique to a particular princely state/kingdom, although I've seen tiger shaped patta examples before. What's also interesting is that both hilts are rather small, even for an India hand. I've a relatively small hand/palm and I can just about get through the forearm protector, and it all fits really snugly. Could it be for boy/teenager or perhaps man of small stature - certainly smallish hands! My friends can't even get their hands through to the grip. Any help with the identification, I'd be eternally grateful! Regards, Manish Attached Images Last edited by manishkulkarni; 31st March 2019 at 11:23 AM.