Czerny International Auction House Ltd.
Lot 286
dating: late 17th Century provenance: Ottoman Empire, Slightly curved, double-edged blade, in damask, with central raiser and with four grooves, a flat rectangle at the forte on both sides, with remains of gold decorations. Grip with dark, wooden grip scales, decorated in the central band and with twenty one, silver, engraved flowers. Wooden scabbard, completely covered with silver foil, with fantastic, nielloed, floral decorations and with remains of gilding. Front part with five facets, the central with Arabic inscriptions in bass-relief on a golden ground, inside the two cartouches, divided by a flower. The two lateral facets, apparently smooth, are actually decorated with filigree floral motifs and arabesques, external bands with flowers in bass-relief on a grained ground. Relieved ends, cap with braided bands, decorated with nielloed and engraved pendants, chape with a turban-pommel, decorated en suite and with remains of gilding. Faceted button. Smooth back part, engraved and nielloed with floral motifs and with a stamp (Tughra). Suspension ring. Daggers of this type are rarely found on the international market but it is really difficult to see a specimen with a nice scabbard like this. See similar specimen in 'Die Karlsruher Türkenbeute', Hirmer Verlag München, 1991. On page 202 there is a dagger with a similar blade and grip's shape (no. 148). Other specimens can be found in the Histoisches Museum Dresden, in the Livrustenkammaren in Stockholm, in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna and in many other international museums and private collections.Literature: Stöcklein, 1914, page 139 fig. 32, Petrarch 1952, page 667. length 30.5 cm.
