Help identifying a blade

Gavin Nugent · 22nd February 2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norman McCormick

Indian blade with similar profile from Bonhams past catalogues.

Similar profile indeed Norman but it seems only 2/3rd the length at best, akin to a hunting hanger.

Delor, is it possible to see more detail of the two highlighted areas shown in your image here...my photo shop swills are not the best...are the makers stamps? Can you get a good clear profiule shot of the makers mark on the blade too?

Gav

A.alnakkas · 22nd February 2011, 01:58 PM

I think the blade is turkish. I remember seeing Yataghans with similar stamps + i have a Qama with the same stamp. Whats written in it seems to be يا روح which means "O soul" but am not sure since i have the eyes of a mole

beautiful piece non the less.

Martin Lubojacky · 22nd February 2011, 02:39 PM

I also take the line the blade is from yathagan

Hotspur · 23rd February 2011, 12:18 PM

I had posted my Yataghan here and mentioned someone else had regarded the mark on mine to mean Ya Ali but then another response here was it is just Ali. I have seen this mark on a number of blades and it has been mentioned they appear on firearms as well. My blade does seem crucible steel but not patterned in the manner we see above on that very nice assembly of cultures. The mark on the one above seems it may be a different character.

Cheers

GC

delor · 23rd February 2011, 09:18 PM

Some closer photos of the stamps.
I've been said that the first guard stamp is for small silver work in Paris, from 1762 to 1768.

Jim McDougall · 24th February 2011, 01:50 AM

Great development on this thread, and good to see all the elements coming together. Gav's astute eye really caught those stamps in the havy motif on the hilt, and the hallmarks seem to work right into the right period, though I would have thought more toward Napoleonic. Still, the French attraction to using these pandour units, which as mentioned on the European Armoury thread, would concur nicely as the yataghan type blade melded with European fashion mounts were commonly used.
As noted, Ottoman blades would have been highly favored, though it is known some yataghan style blades were produced in forged steel by European makers.

23rd February 2011, 12:18 PM	#4
Hotspur Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Nipmuc USA Posts: 523	I had posted my Yataghan here and mentioned someone else had regarded the mark on mine to mean Ya Ali but then another response here was it is just Ali. I have seen this mark on a number of blades and it has been mentioned they appear on firearms as well. My blade does seem crucible steel but not patterned in the manner we see above on that very nice assembly of cultures. The mark on the one above seems it may be a different character. Cheers GC Attached Images

23rd February 2011, 09:18 PM	#5
delor Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Marseille - France Posts: 73	Some closer photos of the stamps. I've been said that the first guard stamp is for small silver work in Paris, from 1762 to 1768. Attached Images

22nd February 2011, 01:58 PM	#2
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,340	I think the blade is turkish. I remember seeing Yataghans with similar stamps + i have a Qama with the same stamp. Whats written in it seems to be يا روح which means "O soul" but am not sure since i have the eyes of a mole beautiful piece non the less.

22nd February 2011, 02:39 PM	#3
Martin Lubojacky Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Czech Republic Posts: 845	I also take the line the blade is from yathagan

24th February 2011, 01:50 AM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,459	Great development on this thread, and good to see all the elements coming together. Gav's astute eye really caught those stamps in the havy motif on the hilt, and the hallmarks seem to work right into the right period, though I would have thought more toward Napoleonic. Still, the French attraction to using these pandour units, which as mentioned on the European Armoury thread, would concur nicely as the yataghan type blade melded with European fashion mounts were commonly used. As noted, Ottoman blades would have been highly favored, though it is known some yataghan style blades were produced in forged steel by European makers.