Mini Yatagan information, anybody seen one before?
 

I just acquired this miniature Yatagan which seems to have an excellent workmanship, much better in person than in pictures. Has anyone sen one before? Who makes these? How rare is it?

I have an answer but I'm not sure you will like it...

Yes I like that a lot :))

This is not exactly a miniature, it is a small knife in the form of a large yataghan!

Efithis, that is a beatiful knife. How big is it though? Can you place it next to a regular sized knife or a pencil and take a picture for comparison?
Where did you get yours? If it is a very small size it looks very similar to mine. Do you have others like it?

When I was in Sarajevo, Bosnia I hung out in the old bazaar area of town (looking for old weapons...). During this time I befriended many of the local antique dealers. They showed me numerous antique miniature items that would have been common items during in Ottoman times (plates, jugs, trays, vases, etc.) They claimed that these items were created as part of the "exam" the local metalworkers guild required to advance from apprentice to journeyman metalworker.

If this is true (it is the Balkans after all...) maybe the miniature yataghan shares a similar back story.

kubar, the turks had a large corps of vicious asian guineapig infantry, so feared by the europeans that they feared to even mention them for fear that just saying their names would draw them nigh.

mustafa pasha, on his invasion of europe in 1683, was forced by circumstance to leave this corps in instanbul. this left his flank in vienna open to attack thru the forest he thought screened it. after he was defeated by the winged polish hussars who would have been easy prey for the guinea pigs in the confines of the forest. mustafa was executed a short time after his defeat for his failure.

the turks subsequently disbanded the corps, as their expansion had been thwarted. the once feared piggies faded from history, leaving a few artefacts such as above.

there are a few colonies in the remote mountainous regions of mainland turkey that remember their former glory tho. i suspect the newish yat came from there. most travellers to the region do not, however return.

it is told, however, that the pigs, remembering mustafa, flee in fear to their burrows at the first sign of wings.

I love it lol, can't wait for the next episode. ;)
Miguel

in response to the turkish guinea pig corps, the west came up with the knights of the squirrel order. mounted on their trusty armoured cats, they decimated the guineapigs in their one recorded encounter. a complete infantry division of piggy (no relation to swine by the way, they after all are islamic) heavy armoured infantry was wiped out to a pig by the austro-hungarian knights squirrel and to the horror of the turks, their mounts ate the piggies. this is the main reason the trurks disbanded their units. not only do we have an ancient photo of a squirrel knight, sir acorn, but his trusty mount draco. you can see the bones of the devoured turkish infantry pig scattered about him. please do not allow children under the age of 15 to view the horror.

one of these days, i will tell the tale of the imperial roman 34th legion, 'gallia arborranae' that frogspear-headed the roman invasion of dacia. this previously undocumented legion participated in many imperial battles. records have recntly been unearthed in romania.

I think we have seen enough of the the critters. Any other miniature blades anyone?

Here it is in comparison. I have the feeling that it is Bosnian. No i dont have others and i never seen one like that.

That is pretty small, but still very big compared to the one I have. And I agree it looks like a Bosnian work. I asked the guy who sold mine and he says its from a Bulgarian craftsman and its made not too long ago. I am not sure where its form but I have never seen another one this small, and the quality f the work exemplary.

eftihis where did yo get yours from?

Some traditional customs
 

in GREECE in some place they have such small knives for women ..

Dear friend, i bought it from an old collection in Italy. "Where you bought it from" is usually irrelevant with the original provenance of a 19th century weapon. Most of them are already 4th or 5th hand when we buy them today.

Well that might be the case with yours, if it is that old, mine is a newly made piece. the guy who made is still alive :)) That is why I asked..
If you ever want to sell your let me know.

Some miniature arms were made as souvenirs and/or letter openers of course, some as children practice or toys and some were made with the same grade, materials and techniques as originals. They are not uncommon and quite collectible. Another form of the kind is Indian miniature paintings of arms, and better "3D" examples are very desirable and thought after. Here is a complete set of different miniature arms in original box, mid-late 20thC and relatively well made.

Alex,
I have never see these before. they look pretty nice and uniques. Did they come in the boxes? So they are a collection made by the same craftsman? Also it would be nice to see the blades if we may. Are the handles made form actual horn or is it wood? I would like to see more pictures if possible. thanks

They came in one box, all made by the same master. Considering how small they are its pretty impressive work. All are functional with steel blades. Each is attached to the velvet backing of the box with silk threads, possibly to keep them safe, and apparently it worked.. nothing gone missing since).

They are fascinating. would you be able to show some of the blades out of the scabbards?