Curious Kastane - Thoughts?

[David]

Derek, i'm pretty sure you are on the right track viewing this example as a later tourist quality repro. I think that if you spend enough time looking at actual kastane in the thread Ibrahiim just linked to you will see that the level of attention to detail in the real kastanes seen there is far more intensive than the hilt details on your example. While the blades on true kastane are often not of high quality, being meant mostly for status display, the dress is usually impeccably detailed and of a very high level of craftsmanship. Ibrahiim suggested the possibility that this could be a dance kastane for belly dancing, but that seems highly unlikely to me. Pictures can be deceptive, but i just don't see that your example could possibly have the kind of balance necessary for use in belly dancing where the back edge of the sword is balances on the head, hips, etc. during the act of the dance. Those blades are also generally longer and curved as Ibrahiim has already pointed out. But as you say, it should be a very nice wall hanger.