I recently bought this yataghan from Artzi. It caught my attention because of the floral motifs to the scabbard and bolster. They did not look Ottoman to me but did look Indonesian or Malaysian, not to mention the way the scabbard was mounted with silver decorated bands, mouth, and chape. Note also the scabbard is tropical wood, often seen or Moro scabbards and hilts. I noted also that there was no opening for part of the hilt at the mouth of the scabbard like we see on so many yataghans. The hilt is black horn(SE Asian water buffalo???)
While discussing it with Artzi, he told me that it had been in their personal collection for years and that he bought it in a little antique shop in Hong Kong quite a long time ago. That's when I suggested that possibility that it was an Ottoman made blade mounted in a more Moro/Indonesian/Malay style.
So my theory is quite simple, and the same that I shared with Artzi...that is that this is an Ottoman made yataghan blade that ended, likely via trade or pirating, in SE Asia.
With that in mind, it is important to confirm as far as in possible that there are no other known...for sure...examples of other yats mounted this way from WITHIN the Ottoman empire. I am grateful for any help here from our forum members. I am also curious if the inscription on the blade can be translated, and if, by chance, it may be Jawi?
Here is another example, previously discussed with a similar origin and fate.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5955
Thanks for any input!
This yataghan:
Dimensions:
Overall length: 32in.
Blade length: 26in.
Blade's widest point: 1.85in.