Silver yataghan with inscription

eftihis · 5th March 2005, 07:20 PM

Hallo friends,
This is a fine silver yataghan, i believe the silver work is Greek, it is identical with the work we see on pistols made in Epirus (North Greece), but again the Turkish inscription remains a puzzle. Any help?

Yannis · 5th March 2005, 08:48 PM

In Epirus they were making silverwork not only for Greeks but for all the nations of the area. Also the blade could be older and remounted in silver hilt and scabbard.

Your photos are not so good to see the silverwork, but I can imagine what you say about Epirus.

eftihis · 7th March 2005, 10:56 PM

Sorry for the bad photos i am posting some better ones of the silverwork.
Regards!

eftihis · 2nd April 2006, 10:49 PM

This was a year ago, but there was no reply, but maybe now we will have a better luck. I am also posting photos of the inscription from the top of the blade.

The third and forth photos are from a very similar, sorter blade, with the same silverwork on the scabbard.

Yannis · 2nd April 2006, 10:54 PM

Looking again this piece I am not sure that silverwork is from Epirus. It is very good repousse work but it lacks any charachteristic motives from the area.

not2sharp · 3rd April 2006, 07:06 AM

What is that deep stamp? I have seen this on a number of old weapons. Was this some kind of popular religious icon, or a government inspection mark?

n2s

Yannis · 3rd April 2006, 07:54 AM

It is the makers mark. Common in yataghans with good blades

not2sharp · 3rd April 2006, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yannis

It is the makers mark. Common in yataghans with good blades

Do you mean as in a maker, or as a general practice by all makers; and, if the latter, has anyone tried to catalog them?

n2s

Rivkin · 3rd April 2006, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by not2sharp

Do you mean as in a maker, or as a general practice by all makers; and, if the latter, has anyone tried to catalog them?

n2s

Astvatsaturjan has a number of them for caucasian makers; however, they are very often too alike to each other (typically "heart" or "vase" with some arabic insription) to reliably distinguish them. Another kind of stamp is an arsenal mark, but since there were only 2-3 large armories in the middle east that samped their items, those are somewhat rare.

not2sharp · 3rd April 2006, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rivkin

Astvatsaturjan has a number of them for caucasian makers; however, they are very often too alike to each other (typically "heart" or "vase" with some arabic insription) to reliably distinguish them. Another kind of stamp is an arsenal mark, but since there were only 2-3 large armories in the middle east that samped their items, those are somewhat rare.

It would seem pointless to go through the trouble of marking a blade if the end result is indistinguishable. I wonder if these marks may have been associated more with a maker's guild rather then individual makers.

n2s

Yannis · 3rd April 2006, 11:24 PM

In this particular sword the mark is very clear. I have seen many others where you cannot figure out what they show.

Rivkin · 4th April 2006, 01:42 AM

The usualy story is that people are trying to put too long signatures in their marks - as a result it is somewhat unclear what you have -"all", "mu" or "s". Taking into account that these marks tend to wear off, many of them are completely unintelligable.

Most of them are not guilds, they are usually something like "Amal Muhammed" - made by Muhammed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by not2sharp

It would seem pointless to go through the trouble of marking a blade if the end result is indistinguishable. I wonder if these marks may have been associated more with a maker's guild rather then individual makers.

n2s

ariel · 4th April 2006, 02:53 AM

Isn't it a date in the middle of the Solomon's Star? 1215?

5th March 2005, 07:20 PM	#1
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 511	Silver yataghan with inscription Hallo friends, This is a fine silver yataghan, i believe the silver work is Greek, it is identical with the work we see on pistols made in Epirus (North Greece), but again the Turkish inscription remains a puzzle. Any help? Attached Images

7th March 2005, 10:56 PM	#3
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 511	More photos Sorry for the bad photos i am posting some better ones of the silverwork. Regards! Attached Images

2nd April 2006, 10:49 PM	#4
eftihis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chania Crete Greece Posts: 511	More inscriptions This was a year ago, but there was no reply, but maybe now we will have a better luck. I am also posting photos of the inscription from the top of the blade. The third and forth photos are from a very similar, sorter blade, with the same silverwork on the scabbard. Attached Images

5th March 2005, 08:48 PM	#2
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	In Epirus they were making silverwork not only for Greeks but for all the nations of the area. Also the blade could be older and remounted in silver hilt and scabbard. Your photos are not so good to see the silverwork, but I can imagine what you say about Epirus.

2nd April 2006, 10:54 PM	#5
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Looking again this piece I am not sure that silverwork is from Epirus. It is very good repousse work but it lacks any charachteristic motives from the area.

3rd April 2006, 07:06 AM	#6
not2sharp Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 210	What is that deep stamp? I have seen this on a number of old weapons. Was this some kind of popular religious icon, or a government inspection mark? n2s

3rd April 2006, 07:54 AM	#7
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	It is the makers mark. Common in yataghans with good blades

3rd April 2006, 11:24 PM	#11
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	In this particular sword the mark is very clear. I have seen many others where you cannot figure out what they show.

4th April 2006, 02:53 AM	#13
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Isn't it a date in the middle of the Solomon's Star? 1215?