Need help identifying an old shamshir

dayton56 · 17th November 2005, 07:33 PM

Hi..I'm new to this forum, and there seem to be some well-informed participants that might be able to help me identify a sword I recently received. It appears to be made of wootz steel with the Assadullah cartouche and the silver work is very nice... I would appreciate some help.... thanks!

ariel · 18th November 2005, 01:09 AM

Sorry I goofed. See next comment.

ariel · 18th November 2005, 01:13 AM

The symbol of lion with a sword and a sun on its back is Iranian, Pahlavi Dynasty, i.e. 20th century.
Assadullah 's name can be found on thousands of blades. However, the blade seems to be real Damascus, i.e. older than the handle with the symbol. Japanese used ancestral blades on military swords; why couldn't Iranians?
Can we see the entire sword?

dayton56 · 18th November 2005, 02:07 PM

I'm trying to figure out how to shrink the photos to fit within the forum thread requirements... sorry.. I think I might need to get a software package to reduce the resolution... please bear with me....

Rick · 18th November 2005, 03:28 PM

Software go to

http://www.irfanview.com/

Download

Take a picture of the entire sword .

Use a picture setting on your camera of 2MB or so (bigger files need more reduction) a comp. screen is what ; 72 dpi ?

Open it using irfanview .
resize it to 800 X 600
then save at approximately 60 %
You should come out with an image that will fit the image requirements .

dayton56 · 18th November 2005, 08:44 PM

Let's see if this works....

ham · 19th November 2005, 04:46 PM

This is late 19th or early 20th century Iranian court work for an officer with strong European influence, as Ariel notes above it is mounted with an heirloom blade which is not unusual.
As to the Lion and Sun crest, this appears much earlier in an Iranian context. This particular rendering of it however is very similar to that depicted on period coins, an additional argument in favor of an early 20th century attribution date.

Ham

17th November 2005, 07:33 PM	#1
dayton56 Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 14	Need help identifying an old shamshir Hi..I'm new to this forum, and there seem to be some well-informed participants that might be able to help me identify a sword I recently received. It appears to be made of wootz steel with the Assadullah cartouche and the silver work is very nice... I would appreciate some help.... thanks! Attached Images

18th November 2005, 02:07 PM	#4
dayton56 Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 14	Hi Ariel I'm trying to figure out how to shrink the photos to fit within the forum thread requirements... sorry.. I think I might need to get a software package to reduce the resolution... please bear with me....

18th November 2005, 03:28 PM	#5
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,287	FREE Software go to http://www.irfanview.com/ Download Take a picture of the entire sword . Use a picture setting on your camera of 2MB or so (bigger files need more reduction) a comp. screen is what ; 72 dpi ? Open it using irfanview . resize it to 800 X 600 then save at approximately 60 % You should come out with an image that will fit the image requirements .

18th November 2005, 08:44 PM	#6
dayton56 Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 14	Let's see if this works.... Attached Images

19th November 2005, 04:46 PM	#7
ham Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 190	This is late 19th or early 20th century Iranian court work for an officer with strong European influence, as Ariel notes above it is mounted with an heirloom blade which is not unusual. As to the Lion and Sun crest, this appears much earlier in an Iranian context. This particular rendering of it however is very similar to that depicted on period coins, an additional argument in favor of an early 20th century attribution date. Ham Last edited by ham; 19th November 2005 at 05:06 PM.

18th November 2005, 01:09 AM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Sorry I goofed. See next comment.

18th November 2005, 01:13 AM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	The symbol of lion with a sword and a sun on its back is Iranian, Pahlavi Dynasty, i.e. 20th century. Assadullah 's name can be found on thousands of blades. However, the blade seems to be real Damascus, i.e. older than the handle with the symbol. Japanese used ancestral blades on military swords; why couldn't Iranians? Can we see the entire sword?