HELP WITH A LARGE YATAGHAN!

[eftihis]

Hi Aristeidi,

I believe this kind of "kopis like" blades are earlier than 19th century, i would say that i have seen some examples that are from the mid 18th century.
The type of hilt reminds me some balkan yataghans, for example resemples the one bellow that has a latin inscription on the blade witch propably associates with the place of origin. I posted in the past this dagger but we didnt find any clues.

[Dmitry]

Eftihis, the writing on your blade reads RAINHA, which means a QUEEN in Portuguese. By the look of it, the blade appears to be a cut-down European sword blade. Judging by the montmorency shape of the blade, this would date it to ca.1770s-early decades of the 1800s. Just my $.02.

[eftihis]

Thanks Dmitry!
But there is also an "A" and a dot, just before the "Rainha".
can it be the initial of the first name and "Rainha" the surname? ( I do not think it belonged in the Queen herself!!!)

[Dmitry]

Originally Posted by eftihis

Thanks Dmitry!
But there is also an "A" and a dot, just before the "Rainha".
can it be the initial of the first name and "Rainha" the surname? ( I do not think it belonged in the Queen herself!!!)

We don't know what was written before RAINHA, it probably was the full name of the Queen. If this was my sword, I would do an easy search on the Portuguese royalty, to see whether there was a period in the 1700s-early 1800s when a Queen alone ruled Portugal, sans the King.

[eftihis]

It certainly makes sence!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_o...al_family_tree
There are 2 Queens, Maria I, 1777-1816 and MAria II, 1826-1828.

[Dmitry]

Excellent!
My pesos would be on the first Maria since blade might be inscribed [MARI]A*RAINHA, and not MARIA II*RAINHA.

[Rick]

This forum never ceases to amaze me .

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Dmitry

Excellent!
My pesos would be on the first Maria since blade might be inscribed [MARI]A*RAINHA, and not MARIA II*RAINHA.

I would be inclined to agree with that Dmitry, as you have well observed the montmorency cross section on the blade, which was very popular in England at the end of the 18th century. In the early Napoleonic period, it has often been discussed that British swords were being supplied to Portugal, as there was of course the considerable action on the Peninsula in Spain.

These were extremely innovative times in the development of effective cavalry swords in Europe, particularly in England, where the first officially recognized cavalry patterns were the 1796 light and heavy types. It is ironic that the cavalry officer who was instrumental in developing these forms was killed leading a cavalry charge at Salamanca.

I have seen dramatic parabolic blades on British cavalry sabres which were of shamshir form, but with pipeback design; officers sabres with distinct yelman; and even officers sabres with yataghan type blades ( Ponsonby at Waterloo).

It is not surprising that Europe was also testing new concepts in the technology of the sword in these times, and the deep bellied blades I have mentioned from these units in Balkan regions were apparantly among them.