Origin of maker´s stamp on this yatagan

Martin Lubojacky · 6th August 2019, 08:24 AM

Hello,
Please, could you help with the origin of the stamp on the blade ? I think the style of the handle is Anatolian. The total length is 93 cms. I would say it is the best blade I have ever seen on yatagan - thick, but with a very wide and deep groove and another one, small, above - which makes the blade relatively light and the yatagan is, despite its length and robustness, "well ballanced". The blade is only very gently springy, absolutely straight. Thank you.
Martin

kronckew · 6th August 2019, 09:07 AM

Cool sword. Anatolia is of course also known as "Asia Minor", the Asian part of Turkey. D̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶c̶l̶e̶a̶r̶e̶r̶ ̶p̶h̶o̶t̶o̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶w̶e̶a̶p̶o̶n̶,̶ ̶e̶s̶p̶e̶c̶i̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶g̶r̶i̶p̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶a̶?̶.̶ The Small fuller near the spine is very decorative, but I suspect that the distal taper and the more general wider central groove helps the balance even more.

Edited:

I've 'fixed' the exposure of your original post overall photo, should help the experts pin down the area a bit more. As will the small ears of the grip.

Martin Lubojacky · 6th August 2019, 10:04 AM

Thank you for the correction of the exposure ! (I took photos at home before my current trip and the next possibility of some remedy/new pictures will be in November ...)

Jim McDougall · 6th August 2019, 11:33 PM

Way out of my field Martin, but this interesting example has a very European feel to me, and reminds me of the kinds of weapon often used by auxiliary units such as 'pandours' in the mid 18th c. and later similar 'exotic' units later.

I had somehow had the idea that Turkish or Ottoman makers did not typically sign or mark their work, and that the dynastic themes and couplets of poetry etc. took precedence.

The channeling and style of the blade as well as the deeply stamped cartouche suggest possible European make. I have seen such blades with similar profile etc. which were clearly European made, and engraved with European ligature.
These were almost certainly from European use in the Balkans in such units.

Kubur · 7th August 2019, 11:43 AM

It's probably a yataghan from the Balkans, maybe Greek?

Just kidding

David R · 7th August 2019, 12:29 PM

To me, the panelled blade had a Central Asian "feel". As for the stamp, lots of Ottoman Yataghans have stamps, possibly from the bigger workshops that exported them.
Pandour Yataghans tend to have more European mounts.

6th August 2019, 08:24 AM	#1
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	Origin of maker´s stamp on this yatagan Hello, Please, could you help with the origin of the stamp on the blade ? I think the style of the handle is Anatolian. The total length is 93 cms. I would say it is the best blade I have ever seen on yatagan - thick, but with a very wide and deep groove and another one, small, above - which makes the blade relatively light and the yatagan is, despite its length and robustness, "well ballanced". The blade is only very gently springy, absolutely straight. Thank you. Martin Attached Images

6th August 2019, 09:07 AM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,183	Cool sword. Anatolia is of course also known as "Asia Minor", the Asian part of Turkey. D̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶h̶a̶v̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶c̶l̶e̶a̶r̶e̶r̶ ̶p̶h̶o̶t̶o̶ ̶o̶f̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶o̶v̶e̶r̶a̶l̶l̶ ̶w̶e̶a̶p̶o̶n̶,̶ ̶e̶s̶p̶e̶c̶i̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶g̶r̶i̶p̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶a̶?̶.̶ The Small fuller near the spine is very decorative, but I suspect that the distal taper and the more general wider central groove helps the balance even more. Edited: I've 'fixed' the exposure of your original post overall photo, should help the experts pin down the area a bit more. As will the small ears of the grip. Attached Images

7th August 2019, 12:29 PM	#6
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,079	To me, the panelled blade had a Central Asian "feel". As for the stamp, lots of Ottoman Yataghans have stamps, possibly from the bigger workshops that exported them. Pandour Yataghans tend to have more European mounts. Attached Images

6th August 2019, 10:04 AM	#3
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 841	Thank you for the correction of the exposure ! (I took photos at home before my current trip and the next possibility of some remedy/new pictures will be in November ...)

6th August 2019, 11:33 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,945	Way out of my field Martin, but this interesting example has a very European feel to me, and reminds me of the kinds of weapon often used by auxiliary units such as 'pandours' in the mid 18th c. and later similar 'exotic' units later. I had somehow had the idea that Turkish or Ottoman makers did not typically sign or mark their work, and that the dynastic themes and couplets of poetry etc. took precedence. The channeling and style of the blade as well as the deeply stamped cartouche suggest possible European make. I have seen such blades with similar profile etc. which were clearly European made, and engraved with European ligature. These were almost certainly from European use in the Balkans in such units.

7th August 2019, 11:43 AM	#5
Kubur Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 2,145	It's probably a yataghan from the Balkans, maybe Greek? Just kidding