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Originally Posted by motan
Hi,
I want to offer a different interpretation for the Napoli dagger, though I admit it is both a long shot and disappointing.
To me, this looks like a fantasy piece because it is supposedly made in Naples, but clearly made in the Greek/Ottoman 19th c style. If you look at the date, as far as this picture allows close inspection, I see 1334, not 1774. My guess is that this is Hijri date corresponding to 1915/1916. I have no idea why: an orientalist interpretation for rarities cabinet? a dagger made for a Muslim merchant in his favorite style? All pure guesses. But the blade of this dagger does not look functional and the Greek connection is clear.
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Hi Motan,
You are absolutely right on two points.
First the date presented is wrong and I can read too 1334.
Second the flyssa blade similarity is also incorrect and it's more a yataghanish type blade.
Then I was wrong to propose an Algerian origin (now there is no clear evidence for this).
I'm not convinced by a Greek origin either. Let's say Balkans or Turkish.
I don't think that it was a fantasy piece, I prefer to say a very late Ottoman piece or an early tourist piece in the Ottoman style. These pieces have been discussed in previous posts... Please note that early tourist pieces use generally Gregorian calendar and this one is using hijri (with latin numbers like the 1920ties Moroccan pieces)...
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Kubur