Yataghans
 

Hello Everyone,

I would like to share these two rather worn Yataghans in the hope that the more knowledgeable of you about this type of weapon can identify origin and approximate age etc.
No 1:- Scabbard is wood covered in black leather with silvered steel locket and chape. The eared hilt is made of bone or ivory riveted to the tang with Coral and Stone decoration. The blade has what appears to be an Islamic inscription in gold koftgari with a seal of Solomon and a deep blade stamp.
O/L 28.25 ins with blade length of 22.5 ins x 1.125 to 1.5 ins wide.

No 2:- Scabbard is wood covered with what appears to be Lizard skin and having brass locket and chape. the hilt is similar to No 1 but the decoration is of better quality. The blade has what appears to be Islamic inscriptions in Silver koftgari ( very worn ) on both sides.
O/L 28.75 with blade length of 22.75 ins x 1.125 ins wide.
Thanking you in anticipation.
Miguel.
No 1:-

No 2:- Photos

What do you mean, - worn?

They are old and they earned every wrinkle, scar and spot:-)

Very good yats. Congratulations!!!

Very nice yataghans Miguel, thank you for sharing. generally speaking, yataghans with big ears of walrus ivory are attributed to the Western Balkans. The first one is very typical, possibly made in Bosnia. The steel furniture on the scabbard is a little more unusual and could be a case of some Western influence.

The second yatghan has lovely silver band and bolsters, in a style associated with Greece. The scabbard with the reptile skin and the shiny brass chape looks to me like a more recent repair/replacement. The chape almost looks like something out of India/Afghanistan and it is possible the whole thing was put together with spare parts, as the reptile skin appears to be glued and not stitched.

Sincerely,
Teodor

Thanks Ariel I am pleased that you like them, have you any idea of how old they might be ?
Regards
Miguel

Thank you for your comments Teodor I am much obliged for this information. I had a feeling myself about the scabbard of No 2 not being quite right and I think your comments re being put together with spare parts may well be the case, I have compared the chape with the ones on my Khyber Knife scabbards and they are similar.
You did not comment on the `Seal of Solomon` inscription and I would be grateful to learn whether it is talismanic or something else.
Regards
Miguel

Is this scabbard old or new/newish?

From it`s condition externaly and from the wooden liners I believe it to be old
Miguel

Miguel,

The so-called seal of Solomon was actually quite common on yataghans. Its symbolism perhaps was a representation of the vastness of the universe. If you do a search, I believe there have been some discussions on its use and meaning in older threads.

Regards,
Teodor

If you have a better picture of the scabbard mounts I would like to see them. Here is another yatagan that is extremely similar to yours.

Thanks Teodor, I am much obliged for the information.
Regards
Miguel

I will try and take some better photos of the fittings for you but you may have to wait a day or two as I will have to retrieve it from its storage box in the loft but it wont be any problem. Your Yataghans and scabbard do look very similar and it will be interest to compare the scabbard fittings. I hope the photos will be good enough as I think you know I am pretty hopeless with the camera anyway I will do my best.
Regards
Miguel

Hi estcrh,

Photos as promised hope they are OK for your purpose. Miguel

Thanks Miquel, so it looks like the pattern is made from strips of metal crossing over each other that have been applied on top of the throat and chape, is this correct?

Its a pleasure, Yes you are perfectly correct. I had not noticed this before your query so I checked. The throat piece is a slightly loose due to shrinking leather and wood so I slipped it partly off the scabbard to look and feel inside which was perfectly smooth and free of any impressions in the metal. Well spotted. :) Is it appropriate to ask why you wanted this info?
Regards
Miguel

This is not a technique I have seen on a yatagan scabbard before, the chape and the throat have different designs, and this method of applying crossing metal strips to the scabbard must have been difficult to do, it is just unusual, maybe another one like it will turn up.

The last pic suggests that the "strips" we're not applied to flat metal ( no trace of welding or other similar technique). Rather, they were hammered out from the other side of the sheet metal, then it was bent and formed into a scabbard fitting.

Miquel should be able to answer this question, are they actual applied strips of metal on top of a base of sheet metal or are the simulated designs that were hammered out from the inside of a sheet of metal.

I believe you are correct and the chape made in a more conventional way. I can not easily remove the chape to check the internal surface but there is really no need. As Estcrh said it is an unusual and difficult way to apply the decoration to the throat piece and also that this decoration does not match that on the chape. I wonder if this is a replacent thrat piece or the original was plain and the strips applied in an attempt to match the chape, whatever it is a good piece of workmansip.
Regards
Miguel