Marius,
When you write about the weapons dumped at sea, I think you are thinking of when the Muhamedan Coorgs chopped the English magistrate down on his veranda in 1884. At that time more than 15'000 weapons were collected and dropped at sea - only few were allowed to enter into museums.
Otherwise the English mostly melted the blades down.
I dont know how comon it was, then, to keep loose hilts and loose blades, but in Memories of the Jaypore Exhibition 1884 Hendley shows five or six loose hilts, so maybe they did this to a certain extend.
Richard,
I too dont understand why they dont remove the blade, why they have to break it? Maybe it has something to do with the weapon laws in India, or that it is easier to send - as the weapon is shorter?
I dont really know, but it is a very strange thing to do, as they would get more money if the blade was intact.
Does anyone know how the white arms law in India is?
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