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5th November 2024, 05:49 AM | #1 |
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Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Alberta
Posts: 10
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Ottoman Yataghan - Gold Inscription Translation?
Greetings
Recently found this 29.5" Ottoman Yataghan. I am wondering if the Gold inlaid Inscriptions can be translated? Likely Quran verses, but perhaps something more like a name or date in the roundels. Google thinks it is Persian / Farsi but it doesn't translate properly. The sword is in pretty good condition and came with a signed 1919 gouache /watercolour painting of the exact Yataghan on laid paper. Quite a handsome weapon. Any Help would be greatly appreciated. Best Regards Rob |
6th November 2024, 03:15 AM | #2 |
EAAF Staff
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,226
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This is from the Balkans, perhaps Bosnia. Might have belonged to a jannisary. The ivory is walrus ivory with red corals. You even have the seal of Soloman on the blade.
Nice! |
9th November 2024, 01:39 AM | #3 |
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Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 726
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Excellent find! My respect. ☼☼☼
Indeed as Jose wrote it is from Bosnia, the Balkans ( as the handle / grip or hilt is very similar to the Bosnian ones I have) and my guess about its age: about 200 years old and owned by an important man. Please allow me to be so bold and give a piece of advise: clean both the metal and walrus to keep them from deteriorating... After cleaning also add some oil to : 1. the walruss to "feed" or preserve it longer and stop the breaking line or crackgetting deeper and widening . 2. the copper metal pieces to also avoid "drying out" or oxidation, causing some it to break ( further than already) as yours is a too beautiful one to let it deteriorate over time....and the copper deserves to shine ☺ It will improve your outstanding yataghan greatly as it did mine. I shall show some pictures, but you have to be a little patient as I just had a eye operation. Enclosed one picture of mine halfway cleaned last month . But you can already see the positieve outcome on both the metal and the grip/handle even if it is not completed. The inscription is in a most beautifull condition and outstanding in both its size/ the amount of scripture as in its caligraphy and indicates having belonged to a quite important owner, FYI: normally it would be just the name of the maker / smith and just the owner with sometimes his title , approx. 2 lines . But by the amount seen on yours, it is a special made one. Congrats ! FYI: have a look at the collection of the Zagreb museum to compare yours with http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ataghan+zagreb Last edited by gp; 9th November 2024 at 04:22 AM. |
9th November 2024, 10:11 PM | #4 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,226
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GP brings out some good points.
I use Johnson's Baby oil for my ivory pieces since it is less acidic. As for the metals, it would be a good idea to carefully clean off the dirt on them or else they will not just oxidate but corrode the underlying copper structure. |
10th November 2024, 02:36 PM | #5 | |
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Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 726
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Quote:
much obliged, I an only fullhearted support this. Found some pics of mine 3/4 cleaned in the way Jose described . FYI: mine were in exact the same condition as the above uncleaned one ( both bone handle as metal part). You can compare the above uncleaned one ( first pic below) with my 3/4 cleanded ones and see for yourself...both bone as metal looks better Last edited by gp; 10th November 2024 at 03:08 PM. |
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10th November 2024, 03:11 PM | #6 |
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Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 726
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I also would recommend to clean the dirt on the blade close to the golden decoration, this in order to avoid that dirt getting a negative impact on that decoration ...
some of my blades were as dirty as yours please compare ; the first picture is your uncleaned one versus the others ( my cleaned ones in black and white pics). Good luck and thumbs up with your very beautiful yataghan ! |
Tags |
coral, gold, inscription, yataghan |
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