| Jim McDougall |
19th March 2012 05:34 PM |
Agreed better pictures would help, but first impressions are of later mounted interpretation of the Ottoman 'pistol grip' hilt which was used by the Mamluks as well as throughout the Ottoman empire. These type hilts were adopted into the repertoire of European military with the French, British and even Americans in the early 19th century, though they had been in use before official integration in patterns.
This is atypical for this type hilt as far as the usual use with sabre blades, and this seems a short hanger type blade. The crossguard and quillon terminals seems unusual, and at first glance seem cast in one piece. The turqoise stone in the hilt seems unusual as well, though this could be an item produced in the Red Sea entrepots during late 19th century colonial period in North Africa and Arabia. These short hangers were often used in various auxiliary units as well as sometimes military band sidearms, but most of these were cast brass hilts and as far as I know, including those with the simulated Ottoman hilt. Those often had animal head pommels.
Looks latter 19th century to me, possibly embellished officers dress or ceremonial weapon?
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