Silver Balkan Bichaq

Battara · 1st November 2008, 03:15 AM

Up for sharing is a balkan bichaq made of silver filigree and red coral, and a scabbard of embossed silver. This comes from Foca, Bosnia and is 19c.

Enjoy

Yannis · 1st November 2008, 12:01 PM

Nice knife but I wonder why they made the scabbards so ugly.
First time I saw a knife like this I thought that scabbard was later, lesser quality. But after few of them, it is common. Fine hilts and lousy scabbards

Valjhun · 1st November 2008, 06:21 PM

Nice one Battara!

But when you'd like to say Foča, just write Focha.

It is usual that scabbards are lesser quality. I guess that beeing so 'cos usually thoose daggers were carried thrust through the belt in such manner that only the hilt could be seen.

Battara · 1st November 2008, 10:53 PM

OH, I don't know.....I think the scabbard is kind of cute...

Battara · 5th December 2010, 06:34 AM

Interesting note: according to Elgood (The Arms of Greece and her Balkan Neighbors in the Ottoman Period, p. 51) this little knife is called a mali noz, a close quarter knife.

TVV · 5th December 2010, 07:23 AM

Mali noz would literally mean small knife, as opposed to dugi noz or long knife, which again according to Elgood is how the Bosnians somtimes called the yataghan. That being said, both of them were for close quarters combat, were they not?

Regards,
Teodor

Battara · 6th December 2010, 03:47 AM

I guess one closer than the other.

1st November 2008, 03:15 AM	#1
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	Silver Balkan Bichaq Up for sharing is a balkan bichaq made of silver filigree and red coral, and a scabbard of embossed silver. This comes from Foca, Bosnia and is 19c. Enjoy Attached Images

1st November 2008, 12:01 PM	#2
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Nice knife but I wonder why they made the scabbards so ugly. First time I saw a knife like this I thought that scabbard was later, lesser quality. But after few of them, it is common. Fine hilts and lousy scabbards

1st November 2008, 06:21 PM	#3
Valjhun Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 692	Nice one Battara! But when you'd like to say Foča, just write Focha. It is usual that scabbards are lesser quality. I guess that beeing so 'cos usually thoose daggers were carried thrust through the belt in such manner that only the hilt could be seen.

1st November 2008, 10:53 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	OH, I don't know.....I think the scabbard is kind of cute...

5th December 2010, 06:34 AM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	Interesting note: according to Elgood (The Arms of Greece and her Balkan Neighbors in the Ottoman Period, p. 51) this little knife is called a mali noz, a close quarter knife.

5th December 2010, 07:23 AM	#6
TVV Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 1,622	Mali noz would literally mean small knife, as opposed to dugi noz or long knife, which again according to Elgood is how the Bosnians somtimes called the yataghan. That being said, both of them were for close quarters combat, were they not? Regards, Teodor

6th December 2010, 03:47 AM	#7
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,220	I guess one closer than the other.