Indian Lucknow Rapier Sword

An Indian rapier, this example could date as early as the 17th C. through the early 19th C. The grip is carved wooden grip with a distinct form that displays elements of South Indian styling, of the kind found on archaic Hindu swords. The Victoria and Albert Museum, and type which has been attributed to Lucknow. The rapier blade is likely of European origin and is highly flexible springing back to form. There is an indistinct armorers mark at the base of the blade, along with a number likely from an Indian armory.

A nearly identical example mounted in iron with a pommel spike, is currently housed in the Bikaner Armory, India, which allows us to date this at the conservative end to the 17th C., but it likely falls sometime in between that and the late 18th century.