Indian Yatagan

ariel · 26th January 2005, 02:56 AM

No doubt the seller is right: there are clear Indian motives including the famous peacock head.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...507494121&rd=1

It is very rich and show-y, but somehow it does not give a whiff of a true fighting sword. To me it looks more like an adornment.
It has no "wildness" , viciousness or brutality of the real yataghan. Kinda beautiful but very tame toy.
What do you think of it?

Yannis · 26th January 2005, 08:46 AM

Ariel

You were faster than me. I also wanted to take opinions on this one. If the seller was somebody unknown I could say that it is a recent work made for the market of Istanbul.

Now I accept that it is 19th century and Indian made. Blade is good enough for the job. What is bothering me is that copper looks cast.

My guess is that someone in India started a factory of yataghans for export to Ottoman empire, but he didn’t had luck, so maybe only this copy survived

Jim McDougall · 27th January 2005, 11:58 PM

The hilt on this piece instantly suggests a Bukharen weapon in its shape, and the weapon overall resembles the Khyber knife of Afghanistan, which is interestly also termed 'Salawar yataghan'. The hilt and scabbard mounts in chased and repousse metal are similar to the multi-lobate hilts made in Hyderabad for export to Arabia (discussed on the thread 'karabela'?), although these are silvered, while this is either copper or gilded. The gold colored repousse work suggests Gujerat, where this type of work was known to be done (Pant, p.209-210).
As has been noted, elaborately metalworked hilts of this form would seem unlikely for fighting weapons, and would be considered more likely to have been intended for court or dress occasions.

Best regards,
Jim

26th January 2005, 02:56 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Indian Yatagan No doubt the seller is right: there are clear Indian motives including the famous peacock head. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...507494121&rd=1 It is very rich and show-y, but somehow it does not give a whiff of a true fighting sword. To me it looks more like an adornment. It has no "wildness" , viciousness or brutality of the real yataghan. Kinda beautiful but very tame toy. What do you think of it?

26th January 2005, 08:46 AM	#2
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Ariel You were faster than me. I also wanted to take opinions on this one. If the seller was somebody unknown I could say that it is a recent work made for the market of Istanbul. Now I accept that it is 19th century and Indian made. Blade is good enough for the job. What is bothering me is that copper looks cast. My guess is that someone in India started a factory of yataghans for export to Ottoman empire, but he didn’t had luck, so maybe only this copy survived

27th January 2005, 11:58 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,945	The hilt on this piece instantly suggests a Bukharen weapon in its shape, and the weapon overall resembles the Khyber knife of Afghanistan, which is interestly also termed 'Salawar yataghan'. The hilt and scabbard mounts in chased and repousse metal are similar to the multi-lobate hilts made in Hyderabad for export to Arabia (discussed on the thread 'karabela'?), although these are silvered, while this is either copper or gilded. The gold colored repousse work suggests Gujerat, where this type of work was known to be done (Pant, p.209-210). As has been noted, elaborately metalworked hilts of this form would seem unlikely for fighting weapons, and would be considered more likely to have been intended for court or dress occasions. Best regards, Jim