help with identity & origin

ham · 21st February 2006, 05:42 AM

Gentlemen,

As noted by various members above, yatagans were indigenous to a number of areas in the Ottoman Empire, and were still carried in isolated ones until as late as WWII; it has been observed by some ethnographers even later, in fact.
A straight or curved blade seems a matter of personal taste, one finds them in greater or lesser numbers throughout the Empire; it is not the best indicator of origin. The "jaw" marks struck in pairs on the blade at least suggest E. Europe. The large,stepped ears however, point to the Balkans. The wheel motifs chiselled on the blade are found from Hungary down through European Turkey. The embossed and engraved brasswork on hilt and scabbard are typical of Albanian, or Arnavut, work-- it is comparable with that found on the so-called rattail pistols of that region.
For these reasons, it probably is Albanian or from closeby. And an excellent example of the type incidentally, probably made between 1850-1890.

Sincerely,

Ham

Valjhun · 21st February 2006, 08:54 AM

My personal opinion is, that it is a modern copy. Why? Just like Erlikhan said + I can add:
- Defintely not Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro. Far too poor quality and totally different manufacture
- Verry poor looking
- Really too much of them on ebay recently

In case it is original, wich again I sincerely doubt it is, like ham said, an albanian piece.

erlikhan · 21st February 2006, 09:25 AM

The blade itself can be old too,no problem with that.There can be a simple, undecorated old yatagan blade,even with a damaged hilt. That old blade can have its original scabbard wreck with old wood too. We see hundreds of them. They can be upgraded chiselling the blade, making a new hilt, covering the scabbard with new leather, silver or brass etc. A skillful metal artist doesnt have to use modern production methods to make such upgrades, and he must not use them. Look at the chiselling on the blade. it is too shallowly chiselled into the steel and drawn with no or very little attention.If an artist of Ottoman time did that work, he would have to look for a new job in a short time. There are many masters who would do much better even in today's souvenir focused traditional arts production centers like Syria,Iran or Gaziantep in Turkey and would not cost much.The easiest way possible to restore an old blade in a rich looking illusion. The scabbard's brass or copper work is like that too. Doesn't reflect the quality and nobility of past's skills at all. It tries to give a rich impression as if too much effort and care was spent to produce it,but in fact the reverse.

21st February 2006, 05:42 AM	#1
ham Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 190	Gentlemen, As noted by various members above, yatagans were indigenous to a number of areas in the Ottoman Empire, and were still carried in isolated ones until as late as WWII; it has been observed by some ethnographers even later, in fact. A straight or curved blade seems a matter of personal taste, one finds them in greater or lesser numbers throughout the Empire; it is not the best indicator of origin. The "jaw" marks struck in pairs on the blade at least suggest E. Europe. The large,stepped ears however, point to the Balkans. The wheel motifs chiselled on the blade are found from Hungary down through European Turkey. The embossed and engraved brasswork on hilt and scabbard are typical of Albanian, or Arnavut, work-- it is comparable with that found on the so-called rattail pistols of that region. For these reasons, it probably is Albanian or from closeby. And an excellent example of the type incidentally, probably made between 1850-1890. Sincerely, Ham Last edited by ham; 21st February 2006 at 06:22 AM.

21st February 2006, 08:54 AM	#2
Valjhun Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 692	My personal opinion is, that it is a modern copy. Why? Just like Erlikhan said + I can add: - Defintely not Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro. Far too poor quality and totally different manufacture - Verry poor looking - Really too much of them on ebay recently In case it is original, wich again I sincerely doubt it is, like ham said, an albanian piece. Last edited by Valjhun; 21st February 2006 at 09:30 AM.

21st February 2006, 09:25 AM	#3
erlikhan Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Istanbul Posts: 452	The blade itself can be old too,no problem with that.There can be a simple, undecorated old yatagan blade,even with a damaged hilt. That old blade can have its original scabbard wreck with old wood too. We see hundreds of them. They can be upgraded chiselling the blade, making a new hilt, covering the scabbard with new leather, silver or brass etc. A skillful metal artist doesnt have to use modern production methods to make such upgrades, and he must not use them. Look at the chiselling on the blade. it is too shallowly chiselled into the steel and drawn with no or very little attention.If an artist of Ottoman time did that work, he would have to look for a new job in a short time. There are many masters who would do much better even in today's souvenir focused traditional arts production centers like Syria,Iran or Gaziantep in Turkey and would not cost much.The easiest way possible to restore an old blade in a rich looking illusion. The scabbard's brass or copper work is like that too. Doesn't reflect the quality and nobility of past's skills at all. It tries to give a rich impression as if too much effort and care was spent to produce it,but in fact the reverse.