turkish knife?

weapons 27 · 18th May 2019, 09:37 AM

I THINK THIS KNIFE IS TURKISH ..
but I do not know this marking?

weapons 27 · 18th May 2019, 09:43 AM

more picture

ariel · 18th May 2019, 10:14 AM

I am fairly sure it is a contemporary p’chak from Uzbekistan. Likely from Chust.

Ren Ren · 18th May 2019, 12:30 PM

I agree, this is a knife from Uzbekistan. This type is called "Estalik" - "Memorable". In the city of Chust, they have been doing this for at least 50 years.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 18th May 2019, 01:19 PM

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 18th May 2019, 01:21 PM

I looked at https://www.cointalk.com/threads/mea...he-sun.306089/ and the reference suggests The Pleiades seven star cluster.

ariel · 18th May 2019, 04:09 PM

Yes, some carry an inscription “ Estalik uchun Chust”: “ Souvenir from Chust”. A very similar idea was popular on Caucasian kindjals end of 19- 20 century. They were inscribed in Russian “Pamyat’ Kavkaza” : “ Memory of Caucasus”.
Google Uzbek knives, and you will find tons of similar or identical ones. Usually, they were made of a pretty soft steel and never required professional sharpening: several passes agains the bottom of ceramic Piala ( tea cup) were sufficient to restore the edge.

Do not know about Uzbekistan, but in the neighboring Turkmenistan knives had to have an element made of brass: apparently, only animals slaughtered with such knife were considered “halal”, i.e. fit to eat. Perhaps, brass tang band on yours reflects the same tradition, although it was routinely used all over Central Asia including Afghani Turkestan, due to its ductility.

Ren Ren · 19th May 2019, 12:44 AM

The knife of weapons 27 was clearly born during the USSR.

At that time, Uzbekistan was the Soviet Socialist Republic of Uzbekistan. In Chust there was a large state enterprise for the production of knives. This company had a workshop for the production of souvenirs. The government allowed to increase the prices of decorated products by 15-20%. It was there that they were used to produce roughly decorated knives with the words
"Чуст"/"Chust" and "Эсталик учун Чуст"/"Estalik uchun Chust".

Also in every Soviet republic there was a branch of the "Art Fund of the USSR", which conferred the title "Folk Craftsman" - "Master of Traditional Crafts". It was difficult to get this title, but it gave great advantages. The Art Fund provided a workshop almost free of charge, supplied craftsmen with materials that it was difficult or impossible to buy legally (such as precious woods, mother-of-pearl, jewelry stones, mammoth bone), organized participation in exhibitions, and sells handicrafts.

Prices at the Art Salons belonging to the Art Fund were high - 3-5 times higher than the products of the enterprise in Chust. In addition, the Art Fund’s stores were located not only in Uzbekistan, but throughout the Soviet Union. Being a "Folk Craftsman" was very prestigious and profitable. Each master who made traditional knives had his own stamp and - which is very important - permission to make knives. Otherwise he would face 3 years in prison. But the quality of its products was controlled by the Artistic Council and it had to comply with high standards.

The knife of the type "Estalik" performed by the master did not have an inscription, there was no need for this. He necessarily had plates made of horn decorated with inserts made of mother-of-pearl, semi-precious stones (for example carnelian), colored glass on the handle. The inserts were surrounded by chains of miniature metal nails.
Here is a photo of an Estalik type knife that belonged to me. It was made in the early 2000s and its quality was slightly inferior to the quality of knives made by the “Folk Craftsmen” of the Art Fund of the USSR.

ariel · 19th May 2019, 02:35 AM

I have a couple of very similar ones. But yours have an interesting twist: there is a ring component of the bolster with mother-of-pearl inserts. They, IMHO, are quite similar to the Uzbek trademark decoration, the so-called “Bukhara cloisonné”. Instead of enamel within the pre-formed cells, they inserted pieces of turquoise. Yours have the same idea, but use MoP instead.

I checked mine: one does not have it at all, another does, but it looks like some paint. Thanks for showing your knives.

18th May 2019, 09:37 AM	#1
weapons 27 Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 462	turkish knife? I THINK THIS KNIFE IS TURKISH .. but I do not know this marking? Attached Images

18th May 2019, 09:43 AM	#2
weapons 27 Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 462	more picture Attached Images

18th May 2019, 04:09 PM	#7
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Yes, some carry an inscription “ Estalik uchun Chust”: “ Souvenir from Chust”. A very similar idea was popular on Caucasian kindjals end of 19- 20 century. They were inscribed in Russian “Pamyat’ Kavkaza” : “ Memory of Caucasus”. Google Uzbek knives, and you will find tons of similar or identical ones. Usually, they were made of a pretty soft steel and never required professional sharpening: several passes agains the bottom of ceramic Piala ( tea cup) were sufficient to restore the edge. Do not know about Uzbekistan, but in the neighboring Turkmenistan knives had to have an element made of brass: apparently, only animals slaughtered with such knife were considered “halal”, i.e. fit to eat. Perhaps, brass tang band on yours reflects the same tradition, although it was routinely used all over Central Asia including Afghani Turkestan, due to its ductility. Last edited by ariel; 18th May 2019 at 04:26 PM.

19th May 2019, 12:44 AM	#8
Ren Ren Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Russia, Moscow Posts: 374	The knife of weapons 27 was clearly born during the USSR. At that time, Uzbekistan was the Soviet Socialist Republic of Uzbekistan. In Chust there was a large state enterprise for the production of knives. This company had a workshop for the production of souvenirs. The government allowed to increase the prices of decorated products by 15-20%. It was there that they were used to produce roughly decorated knives with the words "Чуст"/"Chust" and "Эсталик учун Чуст"/"Estalik uchun Chust". Also in every Soviet republic there was a branch of the "Art Fund of the USSR", which conferred the title "Folk Craftsman" - "Master of Traditional Crafts". It was difficult to get this title, but it gave great advantages. The Art Fund provided a workshop almost free of charge, supplied craftsmen with materials that it was difficult or impossible to buy legally (such as precious woods, mother-of-pearl, jewelry stones, mammoth bone), organized participation in exhibitions, and sells handicrafts. Prices at the Art Salons belonging to the Art Fund were high - 3-5 times higher than the products of the enterprise in Chust. In addition, the Art Fund’s stores were located not only in Uzbekistan, but throughout the Soviet Union. Being a "Folk Craftsman" was very prestigious and profitable. Each master who made traditional knives had his own stamp and - which is very important - permission to make knives. Otherwise he would face 3 years in prison. But the quality of its products was controlled by the Artistic Council and it had to comply with high standards. The knife of the type "Estalik" performed by the master did not have an inscription, there was no need for this. He necessarily had plates made of horn decorated with inserts made of mother-of-pearl, semi-precious stones (for example carnelian), colored glass on the handle. The inserts were surrounded by chains of miniature metal nails. Here is a photo of an Estalik type knife that belonged to me. It was made in the early 2000s and its quality was slightly inferior to the quality of knives made by the “Folk Craftsmen” of the Art Fund of the USSR. Attached Images

18th May 2019, 10:14 AM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I am fairly sure it is a contemporary p’chak from Uzbekistan. Likely from Chust.

18th May 2019, 12:30 PM	#4
Ren Ren Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Russia, Moscow Posts: 374	I agree, this is a knife from Uzbekistan. This type is called "Estalik" - "Memorable". In the city of Chust, they have been doing this for at least 50 years.

18th May 2019, 01:19 PM	#5
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408

18th May 2019, 01:21 PM	#6
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	I looked at https://www.cointalk.com/threads/mea...he-sun.306089/ and the reference suggests The Pleiades seven star cluster.

19th May 2019, 02:35 AM	#9
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I have a couple of very similar ones. But yours have an interesting twist: there is a ring component of the bolster with mother-of-pearl inserts. They, IMHO, are quite similar to the Uzbek trademark decoration, the so-called “Bukhara cloisonné”. Instead of enamel within the pre-formed cells, they inserted pieces of turquoise. Yours have the same idea, but use MoP instead. I checked mine: one does not have it at all, another does, but it looks like some paint. Thanks for showing your knives.