Long yatagan

[Emanuel]

The threads I linked asked the same question regarding size. Longest ones posted were in the 90+ cm so your example 100+ seems the longest yet. Turkish ribbon also points to older manufacture. Any date on the blade?

[drac2k]

Great swords, wonderful pictures and I really like the long katar or is that a pata ?

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by drac2k

Great swords, wonderful pictures and I really like the long katar or is that a pata ?

That is a good question which relates to the yatagan swords being discussed here. Just as the yatagan sword is related to the yatagan short sord/knife, the katar gauntlet sword is obviously related to the kater push dagger. The kater gauntlet sword is not as closely related to the pata as the kater in my opinion even if they are similar looking.

Here are three discriptions of these long gauntlet katar swords by three different dealers.

Very Good Very Long 18C. Hooded Kattar

A very old version of the famous Kattar (Katar). A development stage between the Pata, the long gauntlet sword and the Kattar, the short push dagger. Very long and narrow blade 38 inches long. The cross bars are shaped like small balls. The handle is protected with a steel hood terminating in a styled monster head shaped tip. 44 inches total length. Very good condition to age. Well patinated .

Deccan South Indian Hindu rapier type katar

A scarce long 'rapier' bladed katar from South India, Vijayanagar. The hilt fully protected by steel guards, and bars, the uppermost decorated with a monsters head finial. There are faint designs of chiselled engraving visible beneath the patination. The long mounts supporting a thick stout tapering blade, possibly of wootz steel. Dark original uncleaned patina overall. 16th/17th century.

A fine & rare Tanjore Pata
Late 16th or early 17th century
A very rare sword
Southern India

An exceptional and very rare Tanjore Pata sword.

This fine example measures 106cms long and has a blade length of 90cms from the tip to the guard.
The hooded guard is approx 18cms long when measures at the side bars and it stands 10cms tall from the base to the top of the demons nose.
There are large ball grips within the hood, secured to the side bars but spin freely on their inner pins.
Supporting the hood is a four bar arrangement being centrally secured to the hood by a spiral domed final and decorative bars running down to the side bars.
Atop of the hood is demon like face bearing its teeth.
The long blade has well defined beveled cutting edges and a strong medial ridge and hollow forged fullers running through to the 12cms long thickened armour piercing tip. It is supported at the hilt with a 24cms long decorative languet pinned in three places with the two upper pins mounted through brass spiral rosettes that resemble eyes.

A very fine, large and rare fighting sword from the Southern Indian states, dating from the 16th -17th centuries and in exceptional condition for its age.

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Emanuel

The threads I linked asked the same question regarding size. Longest ones posted were in the 90+ cm so your example 100+ seems the longest yet. Turkish ribbon also points to older manufacture. Any date on the blade?

Emanuel, there are two gold marking on one side of the blade.
I have posted your T handled yatagan here and another long one.

The bottom one is 35 inches or 89cm total length, blade length is 29 inches or 74 cm.

The middle one according to your measurements has a 28" (71cm) long blade and the top one of yours has a 29" (74cm) blade that is 1.3cm thick at the base.

[Emanuel]

Thank you.
This thread was also linked Any larger yataghan?

That thread showed 3 long yataghan
- 71cm blade
- 92cm overall
- 73cm blade
The last one you posted looks like an old one with the twist core and gold inlay cartouche. Oldest date I came across on mine was 1826 I believe. I can't make out anything in your cartouche.

Emanuel

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Emanuel

Thank you.
This thread was also linked Any larger yataghan?

That thread showed 3 long yataghan
- 71cm blade
- 92cm overall
- 73cm blade
The last one you posted looks like an old one with the twist core and gold inlay cartouche. Oldest date I came across on mine was 1826 I believe. I can't make out anything in your cartouche.

Emanuel

Here is your yatagan with integral bolster and no T handle that is dated 1239/1826, Turkish ribbon construction, brass inlay, 24"(60cm) long blade and 1cm thick.

[estcrh]

Overall length 92 cm.

[estcrh]

73 CM BLADE.

[ariel]

Your 1826 yataghan sports a "usual" blade.

What is interesting about Zeibek yataghans is their length, almost complete lack of decoration and the form and proportions of the blade. They do not have this elegant double-curve and the widening of the blade in the distal third, but are rather simply curved down, of relatively uniform width, often have a T-section and look relatively skinny vs. their exaggerated length. Also, similar to Bulgarian Karakulaks they have an integral bolster.Also, the triangular plates by the handle are very simple, unlike almost any other example.

This makes me believe that by and large Zeibeks did not use mass-produced blades from the Balkans and other large centers, but have created their own separate pattern of the entire weapon that was produced locally from the beginning to the end.

And you are right: the length must have made Zeibek yataghan clumsier than the classic one for a non-mounted warrior.

Did they use them on horseback? Like Caucasian shashkas? :-)

Very interesting......

Thanks for starting this discussion.