Shashka, Turkish and Mystery Sabre.
Nov 6, 2014 12:29:15 GMT
Post by Uhlan on Nov 6, 2014 12:29:15 GMT
For the benefit of Pinotte, who has been pestering me, for over a thousand years, to let him look at my new Shaska.
Here goes:
The Turk.
Scabbard made of German silver, which is called Pakton by the Chinese, who, in the 19th century, invented it as a cheap substitute for real silver, for the Western market.
Of course there is no actual silver in the mix. It is brass mixed with tin and lead and just looks and oxidydises like the real thing. It was and is mainly used for cheap cutlery and was also called ,,Hotel silver'' or ,,Alpaca'', which is a later variant.
The scabbard is so beat up that salvaging it is dubious. The sabre itself is good, no marks of any kind. The six point star is an enigma. 5 point stars were first used, by Ottoman decree, around 1840. Obviously this sabre is from a later date. Also the six point star is the star of David and as such a Judeo- Christian symbol. So, what is it doing on a late Ottoman sabre?
And at last the mystery sabre. Seller thought it Dutch, which it aint.
No marks, other then the shop marks. Nice old school engravings on half the blade. Pipeback with helman.
Length of the blade makes this Cavalry. The basket, I think, says Light Cavalry.
The shop marks are in German with a place name. Google Maps did not bring anything up. I tried to find anything like it on Old Swords, but nada. There is something from the British P1821 in that hilt, but a British sword with German text on it? Not likely.
The pommel design is in a style I call ,,Rasta'' and I cannot find others with this figuration. So, mystery.
Not Swiss, maybe Austrian, I cannot tell. I plowed through all the German States too. Nothing.
Cheers.
Here goes:
The Turk.
Scabbard made of German silver, which is called Pakton by the Chinese, who, in the 19th century, invented it as a cheap substitute for real silver, for the Western market.
Of course there is no actual silver in the mix. It is brass mixed with tin and lead and just looks and oxidydises like the real thing. It was and is mainly used for cheap cutlery and was also called ,,Hotel silver'' or ,,Alpaca'', which is a later variant.
The scabbard is so beat up that salvaging it is dubious. The sabre itself is good, no marks of any kind. The six point star is an enigma. 5 point stars were first used, by Ottoman decree, around 1840. Obviously this sabre is from a later date. Also the six point star is the star of David and as such a Judeo- Christian symbol. So, what is it doing on a late Ottoman sabre?
And at last the mystery sabre. Seller thought it Dutch, which it aint.
No marks, other then the shop marks. Nice old school engravings on half the blade. Pipeback with helman.
Length of the blade makes this Cavalry. The basket, I think, says Light Cavalry.
The shop marks are in German with a place name. Google Maps did not bring anything up. I tried to find anything like it on Old Swords, but nada. There is something from the British P1821 in that hilt, but a British sword with German text on it? Not likely.
The pommel design is in a style I call ,,Rasta'' and I cannot find others with this figuration. So, mystery.
Not Swiss, maybe Austrian, I cannot tell. I plowed through all the German States too. Nothing.
Cheers.