new bichaq

[gp]

Found a very nice bichaq for sale and did buy it, was quite dirty and sadly no scabbard ...
The latter would have anyway been only a standard one: wooden with a copper cover and the usual simple decordation of a couple of "v" signs.

Interesting for me was the fact that it only had writing (gold and a little worn off ), only at one side of the blade and in Arabic characters ( Sarajevo in old calligraphy ) which indicates it to be pre 1878 ( guess around 1860).
Also interesting are the grooves at the top of the handle, grip which I never had encountered before.

Not a big one: length total 20 cm, grip 9,5 cm and blade 10,5cm.

Your thoughts please and is there one in your collection?

[Ian]

Thanks for posting this one gp. This is not a part of the world with which I have much familiarity with respect to knives. However, looking at the hilt and remembering some other examples on the Forum, I thought it was from the Balkans and specifically Sarajevo. Then I read your description and was pleased to see it had Sarajevo indicated on the blade. Still learning.

[gp]

Originally Posted by Ian

Thanks for posting this one gp. This is not a part of the world with which I have much familiarity with respect to knives. However, looking at the hilt and remembering some other examples on the Forum, I thought it was from the Balkans and specifically Sarajevo. Then I read your description and was pleased to see it had Sarajevo indicated on the blade. Still learning.

you're welcome. The difficulty or better challange is trying to translate the text.

The text is written in Arabic scripture but the language is the question.
Bichaqs and yataghans can be written in :

1. Turkish of that time
2. sometimes Persian of that time
3. Bosnian of that time
4. even Arabic if it concerns a Koran text
5. a more or less little literate maker trying to do his best.

FYI: the latter is not the case for the yatagahn of this post, which is a piece of beauty and belonged to a very important owner or aristocrat
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=30277


in the attached pic, I was able to "decipher" the name Sarajevo from right to left between some decorations and caligraphic "liberty"of the maker