Pala Kilic Wootz? with European Hilt.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Norman McCormick

Hi Kubur,
I can't remember seeing a positively identified European made blade in the 'Eastern' style that had Islamic script psuedo or otherwise on the blade but as always I'm open to contradiction.
My Regards,
Norman.

P.S. I am aware that there was a trade in arms made in the 'Eastern' style by European manufacturers for export to countries where that style was prevalent.

I agree Norman, while European trade blades of course often carried spurious markings and inscriptions, these had to do with imbued quality implications as well as certain appeal to certain clientele. However, as far as I have ever known, no attempts were ever made to duplicate any sort of Arabic or other Islamic form inscriptions, cartouches or markings. There was sometimes copy of 'Arabesque' style motif, which was simply decorative and of course false 'damascene'.

On the other hand, European style markings and inscriptions were often copied by native artisans in various ethnographic spheres, and these of course were typically readily recognizable as false.

The efforts to duplicate "Eastern " style by the west was primarily metallurgical, to the watered steel quality of the blade, as well as often to blade features such as yelman, yataghan type recurve etc .
When Osborne was researching to develop the British cavalry sabre which became the M1796, he examined numerous 'Oriental' forms such as kilic; shamshirs and tulwars. A good number of early models for officers had distinct yelmans on blades and at least one had a yataghan type blade.