Yataghan: a Magic Word

ariel · 9th May 2007, 02:04 AM

I wanted to show this one, too!! You got it first, Michael

Not Yataghan: Karabela, and this is the main reason for its high price.
Any time one uses words "Karabela" or "Polish", sparks start flying high and wide. Apparently, collectors of Polish descent are willing to pay any price for a piece of their national history. That's fine with me.
But...
This one looks to me like a typical 19th century Ottoman military sword with a lot of recent embellishments.
For example, the crudely scratched " European" coat of arms looks to me of a newly-manufactured Syrian nature.
The handle is also suspiciously fresh: unscratched, not a single chip and with a perfect fit to langets. Not a trace of age-induced shrinkage, dry wood etc. In contrast, the wooden inserts of the scabbard show age.
I think the best scenario is as follows: the original Ottoman military sword of a 19th cen. variety acquired embellished throat of the scabbard ( to misdirect it's origins to Europe) and a new handle. The Karabela handle was a stroke of genius! Suddenly, the sword became Polish.
The finished " dog's breakfast" product brought a very pretty penny , instead of just a "fish'n chips". Good investment

9th May 2007, 02:04 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I wanted to show this one, too!! You got it first, Michael Not Yataghan: Karabela, and this is the main reason for its high price. Any time one uses words "Karabela" or "Polish", sparks start flying high and wide. Apparently, collectors of Polish descent are willing to pay any price for a piece of their national history. That's fine with me. But... This one looks to me like a typical 19th century Ottoman military sword with a lot of recent embellishments. For example, the crudely scratched " European" coat of arms looks to me of a newly-manufactured Syrian nature. The handle is also suspiciously fresh: unscratched, not a single chip and with a perfect fit to langets. Not a trace of age-induced shrinkage, dry wood etc. In contrast, the wooden inserts of the scabbard show age. I think the best scenario is as follows: the original Ottoman military sword of a 19th cen. variety acquired embellished throat of the scabbard ( to misdirect it's origins to Europe) and a new handle. The Karabela handle was a stroke of genius! Suddenly, the sword became Polish. The finished " dog's breakfast" product brought a very pretty penny , instead of just a "fish'n chips". Good investment