Persian qama ?

[qusko]

What do you think - persian qama?
Some nice engravins with fishes.
XIX century?

[TVV]

Not Persian, but rather Greek or Ottoman.

[mariusgmioc]

This is a Persian Qama... and a rather large one (73 cm / 29" and 813 g / 29 ounces).
It's like a big gladius. With pattern welded blade.

[eftihis]

Hello qusko, this qama was made in Crete around 1900. It is not a typical example, but rather an "experiment" of a Cretan bladesmith. Since 1898, when the Turkish army was forced out of Crete, a peace force from International European powers came to the island to enforce the peace between the Christian community and the remaining muslims, and they stayed up to 1908. This influx of thousand of military personnel created a huge demand in the knife shops for military type of souvenirs. The cretan knifes were of 2-3 types only, so new types of knifes were made to satisfy the demand. The quality of this qama is rather low compared with the qamas made in Persia or in Caucasus. There are some technical details that prove what i am saying. The green color of the leather on the scabbard typical in Cretan knifes, the type of metal on the opening of the scabbard, but more important the engravings on the blade. The "tree" design with the bird on top of it, and even more , the unique in cretan knifes design of the "pierced heart"! Thai is a Christian catholic design, and it passed in Cretan knifemakers from the Vennetian times of Crete.

[qusko]

Eftihis,
Thank you very much for your comprehensive answer. You are fully right ! It nicely matches with cretan design, but it is not typical to have it as qama. Anyway Cretan work.

[OsobistGB]

An excellent example, Eftihis!
Beautiful knives! It is definitely a Greek work. It cannot be confused with Persian and Ottoman style
And my stuff on the subject