Assad Allah

Jens Nordlunde · 14th February 2008, 01:05 PM

Here is another of these type of blade, also Syrian.

Jim McDougall · 15th February 2008, 02:03 AM

Very nice Jens! That is the type of calligraphy panel I was looking for. These blades really got around!
All the best,
Jim

ALEX · 17th February 2008, 01:06 PM

Husar,
In your earlier post you asked for translation. On the side with 3 cartouches: top one reads "O,Fulfiller of Needs", the bottom under lion reads "work of AssadAllah". The cartouche on another side reads "Reign of Shah Abbas".
Without doubt it is very nice sword, and I agree with you - having 3 cartouches is rare and makes it even more interesting:-)
How's condition of the sword and what "relic" description means, i.e. are there any deep pittings or deep/through rust on the blade?

Ward, this is interesting analogy. I atach pictures of 19th Cent brass charger made in Syria, propably for the Persian market, with unusual motif with chiselled cartouches and small lion? or dog? This is a good quality work, but still hard to tell. Any comments?

ward · 17th February 2008, 08:03 PM

That charger is interesting. That is a odd creature a mix of a cat with a lion. I would have to sit down for a while to translate that piece but I have a hunch that it relates to the fable or strory being told in the rest of pic.

ALEX · 17th February 2008, 08:22 PM

Ward, I agree - it is rather unusual creature. Resonates with another cartouche we discussed earlier, which was determined to be a lion depiction of bad quality (Even though I still think it'a a dog every time I look at it, mainly because it has no paws and the ears are pointing up! see pic below). A lion is usually depicted with large paws, or at least in a way one can see them as being "lion paws" and the ears pointing down, just as on HUSAR's sword above, as well as on both lions in Oliver's article.

Have anyone seen a cartouche depicting a lion without well-defined paws and ears being pointing down to the side?

P.S. It just struck me. Can it be a cat? Cats are much more favorable in Middle East, especially in Syria (and of-course in Egypt:-) than dogs. Since the charger was made in Syria for Persian market - can it be a Persian cat?
Look - paws are not defined and ears are pointing up!!!
Going even further - is it possible that someone would put a cat in the sword cartouche? Sorry, I am going too far with this... I promise not to mention cows and goats

ward · 17th February 2008, 09:37 PM

I would have said a cat except for the mane around the head. I do not think you will find a cartouche of a cat on a Islamic sword. Yes cats are well liked in muslim coutries, but I do not feel that they would convey the same attributes of what a lion usually would. Cats are usually favoried because of their relationship with Muhammad. The cat warned him of immediate attack, he cut off the arm of his robe so as not to disturb the cat etc etc. I think a lot of the love of cats has to do with their control of mice and rats in these countries because the cats eat them. That is just a opinion.

Jens Nordlunde · 17th February 2008, 10:12 PM

How about a Yarli?

14th February 2008, 01:05 PM	#1
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Here is another of these type of blade, also Syrian. Attached Images

17th February 2008, 01:06 PM	#3
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Husar, In your earlier post you asked for translation. On the side with 3 cartouches: top one reads "O,Fulfiller of Needs", the bottom under lion reads "work of AssadAllah". The cartouche on another side reads "Reign of Shah Abbas". Without doubt it is very nice sword, and I agree with you - having 3 cartouches is rare and makes it even more interesting:-) How's condition of the sword and what "relic" description means, i.e. are there any deep pittings or deep/through rust on the blade? Ward, this is interesting analogy. I atach pictures of 19th Cent brass charger made in Syria, propably for the Persian market, with unusual motif with chiselled cartouches and small lion? or dog? This is a good quality work, but still hard to tell. Any comments? Attached Images

17th February 2008, 08:03 PM	#4
ward Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 637	That charger is interesting. That is a odd creature a mix of a cat with a lion. I would have to sit down for a while to translate that piece but I have a hunch that it relates to the fable or strory being told in the rest of pic. Attached Images

17th February 2008, 08:22 PM	#5
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Ward, I agree - it is rather unusual creature. Resonates with another cartouche we discussed earlier, which was determined to be a lion depiction of bad quality (Even though I still think it'a a dog every time I look at it, mainly because it has no paws and the ears are pointing up! see pic below). A lion is usually depicted with large paws, or at least in a way one can see them as being "lion paws" and the ears pointing down, just as on HUSAR's sword above, as well as on both lions in Oliver's article. Have anyone seen a cartouche depicting a lion without well-defined paws and ears being pointing down to the side? P.S. It just struck me. Can it be a cat? Cats are much more favorable in Middle East, especially in Syria (and of-course in Egypt:-) than dogs. Since the charger was made in Syria for Persian market - can it be a Persian cat? Look - paws are not defined and ears are pointing up!!! Going even further - is it possible that someone would put a cat in the sword cartouche? Sorry, I am going too far with this... I promise not to mention cows and goats Attached Images Last edited by ALEX; 17th February 2008 at 08:52 PM. Reason: Pows and Ears Observations

17th February 2008, 09:37 PM	#6
ward Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 637	I would have said a cat except for the mane around the head. I do not think you will find a cartouche of a cat on a Islamic sword. Yes cats are well liked in muslim coutries, but I do not feel that they would convey the same attributes of what a lion usually would. Cats are usually favoried because of their relationship with Muhammad. The cat warned him of immediate attack, he cut off the arm of his robe so as not to disturb the cat etc etc. I think a lot of the love of cats has to do with their control of mice and rats in these countries because the cats eat them. That is just a opinion. Last edited by ward; 17th February 2008 at 09:39 PM. Reason: grammer

15th February 2008, 02:03 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Very nice Jens! That is the type of calligraphy panel I was looking for. These blades really got around! All the best, Jim

17th February 2008, 10:12 PM	#7
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	How about a Yarli?