Help with translation - small pretty Kard

Gonzoadler · 10th December 2020, 07:29 PM

Hello,

since some years I own this unusual small Kard. The blade is wootz and has a gold Koftgari with inscription, the mountings are made of a silver alloy with a lower silver content or nickel silver, I don´t know exactly. The mountings are chiselled and decorated with pretty flowers.
Measures: total: 22cm; without scabbard: 20cm; blade: 12cm
Now my questions:
1. I saw a similar bigger Kard in a famous German auction house described as Ottoman. Would you agree with that origin?
2. I would date the dagger in the second quarter of the 19th century, but this is only a feeling. What are your meanings regarding the time of production?
3. The most important point: what means the inscription?

Greetings and thank you very much
Kevin

Norman McCormick · 11th December 2020, 04:04 PM

Hi Kevin,
This is mine http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=ottoman+kard which as you can see is pretty similar. Unfortunately mine has lost the inscription and it will be interesting when you get a translation for yours. A nice piece.
Regards,
Norman.

mariusgmioc · 11th December 2020, 08:56 PM

Very nice Turkish Ottoman would be my guess, albeit it can be from the Balkans.

Also wootz in need of polishing and etching I suspect.

Gonzoadler · 11th December 2020, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

Very nice Turkish Ottoman would be my guess, albeit it can be from the Balkans.

Also wootz in need of polishing and etching I suspect.

Hello,

thank you. Yes, you maybe right with the wootz. But there is always a danger of damage the koftgari, so I´m cautious with that. Also the pictures are not very good, here are some better. They show the wootz in a more flattering way:

mariusgmioc · 11th December 2020, 11:24 PM

From what I see in the photos, and that is not very much, it looks like Persian wootz to me. 19th century maybe, but the blade might be older.

Absolutely deserves a good polishing (to 2000 grit) then etching ( with Nital 4% for best results, but Ferric Chloride will also do the job).

Gonzoadler · 11th December 2020, 11:49 PM

Thanks for your tip, I will think about that. The wootz-structure is really hard to see.

Battara · 12th December 2020, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariusgmioc

From what I see in the photos, and that is not very much, it looks like Persian wootz to me.

I was thinking this was Turkish wootz. Persian wootz I thought was more distinctive than this.

10th December 2020, 07:29 PM	#1
Gonzoadler Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Germany Posts: 244	Help with translation - small pretty Kard Hello, since some years I own this unusual small Kard. The blade is wootz and has a gold Koftgari with inscription, the mountings are made of a silver alloy with a lower silver content or nickel silver, I don´t know exactly. The mountings are chiselled and decorated with pretty flowers. Measures: total: 22cm; without scabbard: 20cm; blade: 12cm Now my questions: 1. I saw a similar bigger Kard in a famous German auction house described as Ottoman. Would you agree with that origin? 2. I would date the dagger in the second quarter of the 19th century, but this is only a feeling. What are your meanings regarding the time of production? 3. The most important point: what means the inscription? Greetings and thank you very much Kevin Attached Images

11th December 2020, 04:04 PM	#2
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,597	Hi Kevin, This is mine http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...t=ottoman+kard which as you can see is pretty similar. Unfortunately mine has lost the inscription and it will be interesting when you get a translation for yours. A nice piece. Regards, Norman.

11th December 2020, 08:56 PM	#3
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	Very nice Turkish Ottoman would be my guess, albeit it can be from the Balkans. Also wootz in need of polishing and etching I suspect.

11th December 2020, 11:24 PM	#5
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,903	From what I see in the photos, and that is not very much, it looks like Persian wootz to me. 19th century maybe, but the blade might be older. Absolutely deserves a good polishing (to 2000 grit) then etching ( with Nital 4% for best results, but Ferric Chloride will also do the job).

11th December 2020, 11:49 PM	#6
Gonzoadler Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Germany Posts: 244	Thanks for your tip, I will think about that. The wootz-structure is really hard to see.