When did wootz blades stop being made in India?

Jens Nordlunde · 18th September 2010, 09:41 PM

It is interesting Jim, as when a weapon has been bought by a museum, it most likely ends up in the reserves, not to be seen by anyone, or almost by anyone - but when it ends up in a private collection it mostly ends up closed up, for forty or fifty years.
I don't mean that the collectors does nor care for their weapons, just the opposite, but many don't want to show them, for several reasons.
Jens

Jim McDougall · 19th September 2010, 04:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jens Nordlunde

It is interesting Jim, as when a weapon has been bought by a museum, it most likely ends up in the reserves, not to be seen by anyone, or almost by anyone - but when it ends up in a private collection it mostly ends up closed up, for forty or fifty years.
I don't mean that the collectors does nor care for their weapons, just the opposite, but many don't want to show them, for several reasons.
Jens

Thats true Jens, too many museums have stored away the weapons which would be so helpful in study...and understandably may of the valuable weapons in private collections are kept very private. They of course end up in estate sales when that time comes and then become for a short time viable study pieces until the cycle continues.
Whatever the case, I am just glad the research continues!!

All the best,
Jim

Jens Nordlunde · 19th September 2010, 04:39 PM

Chris, I also seem to remember to have read that the English stopped the wootz making in Deccan – due to deforesting as they said. One can, of course, start to speculate about how valid that argument was, but it no doubt helped them selling more English blades.
However, the wootz blades seem to have been made in other places far later than when it was stopped in Deccan.

18th September 2010, 09:41 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	It is interesting Jim, as when a weapon has been bought by a museum, it most likely ends up in the reserves, not to be seen by anyone, or almost by anyone - but when it ends up in a private collection it mostly ends up closed up, for forty or fifty years. I don't mean that the collectors does nor care for their weapons, just the opposite, but many don't want to show them, for several reasons. Jens

19th September 2010, 04:39 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Chris, I also seem to remember to have read that the English stopped the wootz making in Deccan – due to deforesting as they said. One can, of course, start to speculate about how valid that argument was, but it no doubt helped them selling more English blades. However, the wootz blades seem to have been made in other places far later than when it was stopped in Deccan.