Ottoman Bichaq help

[Battara]

Greetings folks. Here is an Ottoman bichaq with a pattern welded blade. The hilt slabs are of rhino horn and the rest is silver with a little leather and ladder stitching in the middle of the scabbard.

Please take a look at the marks on the marks. Are these silver marks or something else?

Many thanks and Zukran!

[Battara]

Oh yes - those marks:

[Kubur]

Habibi
I have the same marks on a blunderbuss.
I will post some photos tonight.
There are stamps on the silver parts.
My blunderbuss is from Algeria.
It's possible that your bishaq comes from North Africa too...
Best,
Kubur

[Kubur]

The photos

[Battara]

Already helpful, thank you. Although my bichaq is Ottoman, the empire also included Algeria as well.

[Battara]

I was originally thinking that this was more Balkan due to the silver motif and style used. I did not think that the same motif and style was also used in Algeria, even though it was part of the empire.

[Kubur]

Hi Battara

It is from Algeria and Ottoman.
I will post later some examples with the same plain and simple hilt/grip.
Exactly like yours.

Plus surprisingly when I did some researches about this bichaq I found yours on a very famous dealer website
https://www.antiqueswords.com/produc...q-ca-1830.html

[kronckew]

knice knife. me like. outta my price range tho.

[Battara]

Yes Kubir, it originally came from him, although I didn't get from him directly (did some trade of some of my restoration work.......)

[Kubur]

http://www.ashokaarts.com/shop/ottom...a-north-africa

http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=5582

They look nice, they are ottomans, but from Algeria.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Kubur

I will post later some examples with the same plain and simple hilt/grip.
Exactly like yours.

Kubur I would like to see your examples as I have never seen another one with the same grip shape Kubur as the one that Battara posted.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Kubur

http://www.ashokaarts.com/shop/ottom...a-north-africa

http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=5582

They look nice, they are ottomans, but from Algeria.

Both of these are described as potentially being from North Africa, possibly Algeria, only one states the reasoning behind this attribution (the lobed pommel). What exactly makes a weapon "Algerian"?

An attractive Ottoman shamshir sword probably from Algeria or North Africa.
http://www.ashokaarts.com/shop/ottom...a-north-africa


This rare form of Yataghan, with the lobed pommel is usually attributed as North African, probably Algeria.
http://www.oriental-arms.com/item.php?id=5582

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Hi Battara

It is from Algeria and Ottoman.

Plus surprisingly when I did some researches about this bichaq I found yours on a very famous dealer website
https://www.antiqueswords.com/produc...q-ca-1830.html

This dealer also makes states no reason why this is being described as an "Algerian" weapon.

A good Ottoman Algerian Bichaq, ca. 1830

[estcrh]

The scabbard of this yatahan has a clear North African influence. The scabbard of the bichaq that battara posted looks like a typical Ottoman scabbard.

[Kubur]

Hi all

Thanks for your last example.
I'm sorry I can't find the dagger that I told you.
I will look again, may be some members could help.

For your 'Ottoman' concern.

It's funny I have discussed this previously in several posts.
Basically people know that Ottoman empire was big.
But when we talk about arms and armors, they just think about Turkey and Balkans.

We have probably the same books: some books focus on a particular area like Elgood with the Balkans, others focus on a collection like Pinchot.
But these books don't cover the whole Ottoman empire.
And sometimes you have a lot of mistakes like Tirri's book (who stays an excellent reference).

I'm very interested in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria,Tunisia and Egypt).
I will post more stuff to enlarge a limited narrowed vision on Balkans and Turkey.

To finish, you can find Balkans arms in Algeria and the pistols with coral inlays are not all from Algeria...
Just guys open your mind to other area of the Ottoman empire (like Hijaz for example)...

Kubur

[BANDOOK]

KUBUR NICE ALGERIAN BLUNDERBAS,INCASE IF YOU EVER DECIDE TO SELL ,DO LET ME KNOW,KIND REGARDS RAJESH

[Sancar]

I don't know if this blade is from Balkans, Anatolia or Magrip, but when a Ottoman "bıçak" have a slight S curve and generally looks like a miniature yatağan(though most later examples are not this nice), it is usually called "saldırma" or attack(knife) in Turkish terminology.

As you can deduce from the name, it is a fighting knife. Hoodlams and criminals usually hide these knives under their jackets, tucked in under their arms. It was popularized in 19th century, after desolution of janissary corps and there is a theory that first versions of these knives were cut down yatağans(to carry it easier hidden). These blades reamined popular between criminals and gangsters in Turkey until early 60s. And it is still listed as an illegal weapon by Turkish criminal law.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Kubur

For your 'Ottoman' concern.

It's funny I have discussed this previously in several posts.
Basically people know that Ottoman empire was big.
But when we talk about arms and armors, they just think about Turkey and Balkans...........I'm very interested in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria,Tunisia and Egypt).

I will post more stuff to enlarge a limited narrowed vision on Balkans and Turkey.

To finish, you can find Balkans arms in Algeria and the pistols with coral inlays are not all from Algeria...
Just guys open your mind to other area of the Ottoman empire (like Hijaz for example)...

Kubur

Kuber, I am also very interested in weapons and armor from North Africa (Morocco, Algeria,Tunisia and Egypt). My point when discussing whether a particular item is from a certain part of the vast Ottoman empire is that if you are to positively state that an item is in fact "Algerian", "Balkan", "Albanian" "Egyptian" etc then there should be certain general characteristics that are repeatedly seen in other similar examples.

So far I do not see anything about the bichaq that Battara posted which shouts out as being "Algerian", but since I am not as familiar with Algerian weapons as some other forum members I would appreciate anyone who can show me what in particular would make the bichaq that Battara posted appear to be Algerian or even Balkan. To me it looks like a flat out Ottoman bichaq with not enough distinguishing characteristics to pin point a particular region of use or manufacture.

[Battara]

Caber and others, thank you for your posting examples of what you are discussing.

We are aware of the openness of the Ottoman empire and that there was a lot of influence and style mixing, like the use of coral gemstones all over the empire, from Algeria to Bosnia. Yet there are local influences. I guess I have never noticed those from Algeria......

[estcrh]

Here are a few examples of repeated characteristics that are supposedly associated with North African hilts and a quote from Artzi.

This rare form of Yataghan, with the lobed pommel is usually identified as North African, probably Algeria. In addition, most of these Yataghans will come with rhino horn hilt grips.

[Kubur]

Some people think that this type of Yataghan with small curved ears are from Algeria. To be honest I don't know why...
It's like the Pala without guard, they are supposed to be Algerians.
I just post one of my flyssa daggers, you see the design of the scabbard and the blade are Algerian, but the general look of the dagger is like a bichaq.
Check this one also
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=11699
Some people call these daggers flyssa others bichaq...
It is a complicated issue on this forum, should we use generic names or local names to define these objects????
For example, i think that an Omani sword is not a sayf but a kattara, despite all the discussions on this forum. Because when you say a kattara you know exactly where it comes from...

[Martin Lubojacky]

"Some people think that this type of Yataghan with small curved ears are from Algeria. To be honest I don't know why...
It's like the Pala without guard, they are supposed to be Algerians."

Dear Kubur,

I think this is becausoe of the fact, that you can find "predominantly" one (or a few major) type of fittings in the certain country (territory). E.g. if you are in Tunnisia, you will notice, that "local yathagans" ´handles are usually without ears and scabbards are often wholy brass plated with local motives engraved. On the opposite site I guess you can confirm, that T form of the termination of the handles of the (so called) "zeybeks" yathagans occures in central Anatolya very often (and you will not find it in Libya etc.) I am of the opinion that adornment used to be often done in the local place (e.g. including coftgari) despite the fact that thle blade style and/or trade mark occurs in much wider territoty. - So that´s why
Best
Martin

[Kubur]

Dear Martin,

I agree with the blades for knifes and swords.
It is also the case with the locks and barrels for pistols and long guns.
But I think that the grips for swords and daggers or the wooden stocks for guns are locals. Unlike the decorations or the scabbards as you said.

For North Africa, a good book for all:
Gold and Coral. Presentation arms from Algiers and Tunis

Best,
Kubur

[Battara]

Unfortunately this book does not show up on Amazon........

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Battara

Unfortunately this book does not show up on Amazon........

Thanks to Kubur for mentioning this book, there is not enough discussion of the weapons from Algeria and surrounding regions.

https://thomasheneage.wordpress.com/...gier-to-tunis/

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Kubur

Some people think that this type of Yataghan with small curved ears are from Algeria. To be honest I don't know why...
It's like the Pala without guard, they are supposed to be Algerians.

Any proof that the pala without guards are Algerian or is that just an accepted belief?

[Battara]

Estcrh, I think it would be a better idea to post your great question in it's own thread. This deserves it's own thread for others to chime in.......(I'd like to know myself - ).