Mughal Kard?

Battara · 21st April 2005, 07:00 PM

Montino, even though it is not a knive or sword, I appreciate the information and the picture of your instrument. Thank you.

Battara · 27th December 2005, 07:47 AM

Ok it has been a while, but I just ran across this picture from Hermann-Historica in catalogue 47 (or 46?). It is called a kard and a by-knife: a shakshaki . Could this be what my knife is? Could someone tell me more about the shakshaki?

Jens Nordlunde · 27th December 2005, 08:14 PM

Hi Battara, I think you are getting close, when you ask if your knife could be a ‘shakshaki’. I will see what I can find out to morrow, but your question is interesting.

Battara · 28th December 2005, 04:37 AM

Thank you Jens. Any information would be helpful (soo excited - just like Christmas

).

Jens Nordlunde · 28th December 2005, 01:22 PM

Hi Battara,

I don’t hope you hope for too much, as I, to my surprise, have not found much.

You most likely have been through almost all your books, just like I have, without finding the word anywhere – at least not in the Index’. This made me slightly irritated, so I thought I better look for the auction catalogue – and there the knife was, Hermann Historica auction catalogue no 46 #548. I tried ‘more’ and got a lead, Catalogue over the Moser Collection, 1955, #209-211 and 213. From then on it was easy, especially as I have the catalogue.

On page 200 the authors Rudolf Zeller and Ernst F. Rohrer describe ‘Messerbestecke’ (knife cutlery) together with kards, and here I saw the word, in a book, for the first time – in the text that is – as it is not in the index. This means that Shakshaki may be mentioned in some of the other books as well – in the text – but left out of the index.

It does not say what the word means, nor does it says if a small knife attached in a scabbard to another type of knife is called the same, which it probably is – this said without safety line. If there are cutlery or tools as well, they are mostly hidden in the hollow hilt of the kard. In the Moser Collection there seems to be six kards with Schakschaki’s (this spelling is from the Moser Catalogue, notice the different spelling from Hermann Historica). Below find the measurers of the Schakschaki.

#209
Blade 14.7 cm. Hilt 8.5 cm. Weight 140 g.

#210
Blade 16 cm. Hilt 7.5 cm. Weight –.

#211
Blade 11.5 cm. Hilt 8 cm. Weight 65 g.

#212
Blade 13 cm. Hilt 4.3 cm. Weight 37 g.

#213
Blade 12 cm. Hilt 7.5 cm. Weight 50 g.

#215 this is rather special, as there, in the hilt of the schakschaki, is a folding knife.
Blade 16/7.6 cm. Hilt 11/8.8 cm. Weight 85 g.

Should someone have contacts in Iran or India, the word may be translated, but notice the different ways of spelling it.

Sorry I could not get a better explanation for you, but that was all I could find in my books.

Jens Nordlunde · 28th December 2005, 02:04 PM

BTW I have not forgotten your question about the floral decoration. I am still studying it, and I have learned a bit, but not enough - I will return when I know more.

Battara · 29th December 2005, 01:50 AM

Thank you Jens. You have provided some very helpful information. What you have shown so far is that my knife does not fit the traditional shakshaki form. This lends more creedance to what Jim had mentioned earlier when he said that he would call this a "Mughal kard".

On the floral front, I appreciate all of your research into this thing. I too have come up with little.

21st April 2005, 07:00 PM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	Montino, even though it is not a knive or sword, I appreciate the information and the picture of your instrument. Thank you.

27th December 2005, 07:47 AM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	Ok it has been a while, but I just ran across this picture from Hermann-Historica in catalogue 47 (or 46?). It is called a kard and a by-knife: a shakshaki . Could this be what my knife is? Could someone tell me more about the shakshaki? Attached Images

27th December 2005, 08:14 PM	#3
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Battara, I think you are getting close, when you ask if your knife could be a ‘shakshaki’. I will see what I can find out to morrow, but your question is interesting.

28th December 2005, 04:37 AM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	Thank you Jens. Any information would be helpful (soo excited - just like Christmas ).

28th December 2005, 01:22 PM	#5
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Battara, I don’t hope you hope for too much, as I, to my surprise, have not found much. You most likely have been through almost all your books, just like I have, without finding the word anywhere – at least not in the Index’. This made me slightly irritated, so I thought I better look for the auction catalogue – and there the knife was, Hermann Historica auction catalogue no 46 #548. I tried ‘more’ and got a lead, Catalogue over the Moser Collection, 1955, #209-211 and 213. From then on it was easy, especially as I have the catalogue. On page 200 the authors Rudolf Zeller and Ernst F. Rohrer describe ‘Messerbestecke’ (knife cutlery) together with kards, and here I saw the word, in a book, for the first time – in the text that is – as it is not in the index. This means that Shakshaki may be mentioned in some of the other books as well – in the text – but left out of the index. It does not say what the word means, nor does it says if a small knife attached in a scabbard to another type of knife is called the same, which it probably is – this said without safety line. If there are cutlery or tools as well, they are mostly hidden in the hollow hilt of the kard. In the Moser Collection there seems to be six kards with Schakschaki’s (this spelling is from the Moser Catalogue, notice the different spelling from Hermann Historica). Below find the measurers of the Schakschaki. #209 Blade 14.7 cm. Hilt 8.5 cm. Weight 140 g. #210 Blade 16 cm. Hilt 7.5 cm. Weight –. #211 Blade 11.5 cm. Hilt 8 cm. Weight 65 g. #212 Blade 13 cm. Hilt 4.3 cm. Weight 37 g. #213 Blade 12 cm. Hilt 7.5 cm. Weight 50 g. #215 this is rather special, as there, in the hilt of the schakschaki, is a folding knife. Blade 16/7.6 cm. Hilt 11/8.8 cm. Weight 85 g. Should someone have contacts in Iran or India, the word may be translated, but notice the different ways of spelling it. Sorry I could not get a better explanation for you, but that was all I could find in my books. Attached Images

28th December 2005, 02:04 PM	#6
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	BTW I have not forgotten your question about the floral decoration. I am still studying it, and I have learned a bit, but not enough - I will return when I know more.

29th December 2005, 01:50 AM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,280	Thank you Jens. You have provided some very helpful information. What you have shown so far is that my knife does not fit the traditional shakshaki form. This lends more creedance to what Jim had mentioned earlier when he said that he would call this a "Mughal kard". On the floral front, I appreciate all of your research into this thing. I too have come up with little.