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Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Sat Dec 12, 2020 5:28 pm
by dixon42
Hi,
I have just bought a cased double percussion rifle by Charles Lancaster London made in 1854 for a Captain J.C. Brooke. All the accessories have an ownership mark engraved on them and the case has an inked name or word on the top of the lid and is carved all along the front edges with an inscription. All this is of course part of the history of the rifle and I am very keen to try to find out what it all says. I attach some photos of the inscriptions on an oil bottle, case lid and the edges of the case and would be very grateful if someone is able to translate any of it.
Regards,
dixon42

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2020 4:27 pm
by Vikram
Dear members,

Could you please take a look and help our friend with what is written in Devnagari script? Thank you.

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2020 3:45 am
by timmy
Bump:

Is there someone who can provide an English translation for these inscriptions and engravings? Thank you.

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2020 11:26 am
by UDAYANJADHAV
It seems like Modhi script and not Devnagari script.

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Tue Dec 29, 2020 5:04 pm
by dixon42
If it helps, I believe that the original owner Captain J. C. Brooke was in charge of the Meywar Bheel Corps in the 1850's at Kherwarah Rajpootana.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Dixon42.

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 2:59 pm
by Shivaji.Dasgupta
At one place it's written as in 1000 chittori currency it was purchased. But again the term chittori for currency was used in 16th/17th century and very uncommon in last half of 18th century. It was of course from chittor Rajasthan area. I am trying to translate other parts also.
It seems it is some local dialect written in devnagri script.

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 3:04 pm
by Shivaji.Dasgupta
At first line starting it looks like a sales receipt sort of description possible "do NAL samet " (with two barrels). May be I am wrong. If anything more I can find I will update.

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 7:26 pm
by dixon42
Thanks for your help so far Shivaji. I feel this rifle has some fascinating history which may be revealed if we can somehow decipher the script.
Regards,
Andrew (Dixon42)

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 9:56 pm
by Shivaji.Dasgupta
Yes possible. I am giving these images to some language experts in Rajasthan specially in Jodhpur Udaipur area. Let's see what they can suggest

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Wed Dec 30, 2020 10:07 pm
by Vikram
Shivaji.Dasgupta wrote:
Wed Dec 30, 2020 9:56 pm
Yes possible. I am giving these images to some language experts in Rajasthan specially in Jodhpur Udaipur area. Let's see what they can suggest
Thank you. I have also asked people from that area. Let's see what turns out.

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 6:40 am
by winnie_the_pooh
No idea of I am reading it right but the top line to me looks like it says ".... do(two) nali(barrel) rafal(rifle) jis(whose) naal(barrel) samat(year)...." the rest I can't make out what it says. It seems the writing is about the contents rather than about the owner.

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 10:32 am
by Shivaji.Dasgupta
winnie_the_pooh wrote:
Thu Dec 31, 2020 6:40 am
No idea of I am reading it right but the top line to me looks like it says ".... do(two) nali(barrel) rafal(rifle) jis(whose) naal(barrel) samat(year)...." the rest I can't make out what it says. It seems the writing is about the contents rather than about the owner.
True. It's the description of the contents inside the box and from whom it was purchased and at what value. It's not the details of the owner.
At second line one word is probably "Kaka se ( from uncle) then kimat ( price ) 1000 mentioned and after that chittori. " Then it's probably " peti samet ( including the box) "

Re: Charles Lancaster Double Rifle with Devnagari Inscription-Please Help

Posted: Thu Dec 31, 2020 10:34 am
by Shivaji.Dasgupta
There were some more word in the start of first line which is covered with some resin or paint