Early Ottoman/Eastern European Sabre for Comment

Jim McDougall · 7th July 2016, 04:40 PM

Teodor,
The aghrab is a highly stylized element, in the case of the Hadhramauti (Yemen) saifs placed at the base of the langet receiver at the scabbard throat. Personally I cannot say whether or not this decorative element constitutes an 'aghrab' on your sabre, but it aligns with examples which have been described as such.
Whatever the case, this is a remarkably handsome sword, and most intriguing with its confluence of such a number of influences. I especially like the chevron motif on the grips, again recalling Polish karabela.
While it appears rosettes are missing on the grip, the remaining one to me only adds to the mystique of this sword as it shows what the hilt would have displayed at one time. These again, if not mistaken, recall the rosettes on Eastern European karabela.....I do not have the Ostrowski article with me, but that would probably show examples.

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7th July 2016, 04:40 PM	#9
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,295	Teodor, The aghrab is a highly stylized element, in the case of the Hadhramauti (Yemen) saifs placed at the base of the langet receiver at the scabbard throat. Personally I cannot say whether or not this decorative element constitutes an 'aghrab' on your sabre, but it aligns with examples which have been described as such. Whatever the case, this is a remarkably handsome sword, and most intriguing with its confluence of such a number of influences. I especially like the chevron motif on the grips, again recalling Polish karabela. While it appears rosettes are missing on the grip, the remaining one to me only adds to the mystique of this sword as it shows what the hilt would have displayed at one time. These again, if not mistaken, recall the rosettes on Eastern European karabela.....I do not have the Ostrowski article with me, but that would probably show examples.