dagger ID and translation

BerberDagger · 10th March 2013, 01:36 PM

hello, thank you at all .... i will try to made a nice photo with visible the inscription but not easy ....

Indianajones · 10th March 2013, 02:26 PM

Hi Berber, if photographing doesnt work, you can also make a socalled rubbing; fix a paper on top of the blade and draw the hole paper (and knife)surface with pencil. The engraved marks will stand out to be darker than the rest. This way it MAY be easier to read!? Idea?
Although this is totally not my area of interest, it DOES seem to be a good antique dagger and -curious as I am- it will be fascinating to learn about its translation!
Good luck, Wouter

Andreas · 10th March 2013, 06:44 PM

The style of the script gives me a late 19th-early 20th century impression. Based on that, and the literary style (from the words I can read pending clearer photos), I’m tempted to imagine that it belonged to a mangas, a member of a social group of criminals/bullies of late 19th century large Greek urban centres. They carried a qama, which was often inscribed with gloomy poems. I’ve read somewhere that their qamas were usually of Bulgarian provenance. Eftihis or Yannis would probably know more about that.
Andreas

10th March 2013, 01:36 PM	#1
BerberDagger Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 247	hello, thank you at all .... i will try to made a nice photo with visible the inscription but not easy ....

10th March 2013, 02:26 PM	#2
Indianajones Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 180	Hi Berber, if photographing doesnt work, you can also make a socalled rubbing; fix a paper on top of the blade and draw the hole paper (and knife)surface with pencil. The engraved marks will stand out to be darker than the rest. This way it MAY be easier to read!? Idea? Although this is totally not my area of interest, it DOES seem to be a good antique dagger and -curious as I am- it will be fascinating to learn about its translation! Good luck, Wouter

10th March 2013, 06:44 PM	#3
Andreas Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Ionian Islands, Greece Posts: 96	The style of the script gives me a late 19th-early 20th century impression. Based on that, and the literary style (from the words I can read pending clearer photos), I’m tempted to imagine that it belonged to a mangas, a member of a social group of criminals/bullies of late 19th century large Greek urban centres. They carried a qama, which was often inscribed with gloomy poems. I’ve read somewhere that their qamas were usually of Bulgarian provenance. Eftihis or Yannis would probably know more about that. Andreas