Quote:
Originally Posted by OsobistGB
My humble opinion about this particular knife is that it was made in the Bay of Kotor/Boka kotorska/Bocche di Cattaro.I'm guessing its current form was re-struck after the hilt was repaired in a workshop somewhere in the northwest. I'm guessing its current appearance was changed after the handle was repaired in a workshop somewhere in the northwest by a craftsman working in the Bosnian style.This is how it should look without repair  |
one can exaggerate in modesty ( "humble opnion") after sharp remarks first, but lets turn to the subject as I disagree and think it to be rather wishful thinking and like the rolling Stones sang: it's only your imagination running away with you. No offence intended at all, but please allow me to explain:
first the type op Montenegrin dagger you have shown:
- dates back to the late 18th century , something between 1780 - 1840
- is around the time the Boka / bay was Italian or Southern Dalmatian Habsburg; so no Ottoman Empire...
- no real wanderings took place of weapen or bladesmiths as they either were not allowed to or lacked the finances nor the need. Specially in the Boka.
Still weapons do wander and yes, marriages take place indeed, but (speaking from experience / being a visitor to the Boka and Montenegro since the 1980ies) no selfrespecting Montenegrin (then and now) in his right mind would allow this piece of "sacrilage" or cultural barbarism to happen to match the very nice scabbard with such a beautiful dagger into the product you have shown as a test to me....☻☻☻
And even if, if the dagger would have ended up in Ottoman territory; i.e. BiH or Sanzak...again these folks were not stupid to do something silly like that: such a piece of beauty would have found its way to some one with the means to have it restored to either its orginal beauty or to a similar high level Ottoman piece but not a simple bichaq type hilt like you correctly stated I have quite a few...
Also looking at the blade: no remnants / signs of a good bolster, which should have been there...
To make it more confussing: in the Ottoman Empire there were a couple of atypical Ottoman ( non curved but straight) blades made as you can see in some examples I took from publications of the Museum of Banja Luka, a paper of a Romanian historical scolar with Dr. title and a Russian publication I was made aware of by a respected forum member . All between 2006 and 2014.
Yes I do agree it is difficult to find an origin but looking at the data, I think a marriage between a scabbard and something someone made but the latter not connected to the Montenegrin one I think...
Than again..I could be wrong...