Help for identifying a dagger

ariel · 11th April 2015, 12:11 PM

Hi Vasilisnik, and welcome!

What you have is a dagger from the Ottoman Empire.
It belongs to the vast group of the so-called yataghan-bichaks, and the variability of their forms was limited only by the ethnic origin and fantasy of the master.
I would date it late 19th to early 20th century and attribute it somewhere to the Balkans, Greece included. Others may lean toward Anatolia proper, but in the absense of any inscriptions the exact age/origin is murky.

It is a nice one, in a very good shape and is definitely of a "collectable" quality.
Be good!

11th April 2015, 12:11 PM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Hi Vasilisnik, and welcome! What you have is a dagger from the Ottoman Empire. It belongs to the vast group of the so-called yataghan-bichaks, and the variability of their forms was limited only by the ethnic origin and fantasy of the master. I would date it late 19th to early 20th century and attribute it somewhere to the Balkans, Greece included. Others may lean toward Anatolia proper, but in the absense of any inscriptions the exact age/origin is murky. It is a nice one, in a very good shape and is definitely of a "collectable" quality. Be good!