Yatagan with (Turkish?) inscription - help needed :)

erikscollectables · 17th February 2014, 06:56 PM

I found this yatagan last weekend but this is out of my field.
Who can help with the identification of:
-region
-period
-translation of text
Some damage but overall very nice in my personal opinion.

Many thanks in advance, Erik

Jonno · 18th February 2014, 10:33 PM

Nice piece!!

erikscollectables · 19th February 2014, 07:40 PM

No yatagan knowledge in the forum?
I focus on Sumatra but I love this one so hope to learn about it!

All the best, Erik

TVV · 21st February 2014, 02:29 AM

Erik,

Is there a way you can provide better pictures of the hilt from all sides: left and right, top and bottom? It would certainly allow me and the others to come up with better educated guesses on your questions.

Thank you,

Teodor

erikscollectables · 21st February 2014, 07:37 AM

Here some more detail pictures as requested:

The other side of the handle and blade have some damage - all pictures are from the good side. Stones look to be coral, handle some kind of ivory (not bone in my opinion). Metal is brass with remain of gilding? The sheath is leather covered wood, the wood is decorated which is visible in the leather and bound in the middle with brass wire - I really love the craftmanship in the sheath.

TVV · 21st February 2014, 07:40 PM

Thank you Erik,

One thing is clear an that is that this is a very nice yataghan, but you already knew that. The hilt is of walrus ivory and of a shape, that is sometimes seen fitted with a shortened Western smallsword blade. I have seen suggestions that these were an Ottoman version of the dirk for naval use.

The blade is of a type, which the Russian scholar Astvatsaturian attributes to coming from Western Anatolia or the Eastern Caucasus, though I personally doubt this attribution, as the vast majority of these blades that I have seen have Greek silver fittings.

Identifying yataghans is always tricky, as there is not an in depth reference on them, and the existing catalogues simply describe the physical attributes of museum examples without any attempts at geographic classification. On top of that, it is not uncommon for blades forged in one area of the Ottoman Empire to be hilted in another.

Regards,
Teodor

erikscollectables · 21st February 2014, 09:51 PM

Many thanks Teodor!

Regards, Erik

erikscollectables · 23rd February 2014, 08:21 AM

I have been going through the forum and found a very similar inscription!
I guess the text is the same and it is as described there a more common inscription!

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...lation+yatagan

17th February 2014, 06:56 PM	#1
erikscollectables Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 318	Yatagan with (Turkish?) inscription - help needed :) I found this yatagan last weekend but this is out of my field. Who can help with the identification of: -region -period -translation of text Some damage but overall very nice in my personal opinion. Many thanks in advance, Erik

21st February 2014, 07:37 AM	#5
erikscollectables Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 318	Here some more detail pictures as requested: The other side of the handle and blade have some damage - all pictures are from the good side. Stones look to be coral, handle some kind of ivory (not bone in my opinion). Metal is brass with remain of gilding? The sheath is leather covered wood, the wood is decorated which is visible in the leather and bound in the middle with brass wire - I really love the craftmanship in the sheath. Last edited by erikscollectables; 21st February 2014 at 08:52 AM.

21st February 2014, 09:51 PM	#7
erikscollectables Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 318	Thanks Many thanks Teodor! Regards, Erik

23rd February 2014, 08:21 AM	#8
erikscollectables Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 318	translation I have been going through the forum and found a very similar inscription! I guess the text is the same and it is as described there a more common inscription! http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...lation+yatagan

18th February 2014, 10:33 PM	#2
Jonno Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 51	Nice piece!!

19th February 2014, 07:40 PM	#3
erikscollectables Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 318	No yatagan knowledge in the forum? I focus on Sumatra but I love this one so hope to learn about it! All the best, Erik

21st February 2014, 02:29 AM	#4
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,624	Erik, Is there a way you can provide better pictures of the hilt from all sides: left and right, top and bottom? It would certainly allow me and the others to come up with better educated guesses on your questions. Thank you, Teodor

21st February 2014, 07:40 PM	#6
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,624	Thank you Erik, One thing is clear an that is that this is a very nice yataghan, but you already knew that. The hilt is of walrus ivory and of a shape, that is sometimes seen fitted with a shortened Western smallsword blade. I have seen suggestions that these were an Ottoman version of the dirk for naval use. The blade is of a type, which the Russian scholar Astvatsaturian attributes to coming from Western Anatolia or the Eastern Caucasus, though I personally doubt this attribution, as the vast majority of these blades that I have seen have Greek silver fittings. Identifying yataghans is always tricky, as there is not an in depth reference on them, and the existing catalogues simply describe the physical attributes of museum examples without any attempts at geographic classification. On top of that, it is not uncommon for blades forged in one area of the Ottoman Empire to be hilted in another. Regards, Teodor