Ottoman Yataghan with Toledo Blade

ALEX · 7th January 2017, 03:40 PM

Jim,
Thank you so much for your astute comments. When I posted this, I saw YOUR ANOTHER POST on similarly featured blade, and saw the potential connection. Thank you for confirming it. It is interesting to see an old German blade reworked into 19thC Yataghan indeed.

RSWORD · 7th January 2017, 09:35 PM

Hi Alex,

Interesting example you have there. Cross cultural items are fascinating and sometimes you can immediately recognize the connection or most likely connection. Sometimes it is less obvious which makes it a fun mystery. This is such an example. I have seen bayonets mounted in Yat dress but never a reworked rapier blade. With the consensus leaning towards a Solingen origin it makes a few connections possible. The Germans were actively involved with training the Ottoman army in the 19th century. Perhaps the blade was a gift that the recipient decided to mount as a Yat. Solingen blades were traded wide and far so it could have very well found its way to any number of people that decided to mount it as a Yat. Given that it seems to have been together for awhile I think the most likely scenario is a gift or trade item that the owner was proud enough of to have it reworked as a Yat. Man, if these things could only talk.

7th January 2017, 03:40 PM	#1
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Jim, Thank you so much for your astute comments. When I posted this, I saw YOUR ANOTHER POST on similarly featured blade, and saw the potential connection. Thank you for confirming it. It is interesting to see an old German blade reworked into 19thC Yataghan indeed.

7th January 2017, 09:35 PM	#2
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,087	Hi Alex, Interesting example you have there. Cross cultural items are fascinating and sometimes you can immediately recognize the connection or most likely connection. Sometimes it is less obvious which makes it a fun mystery. This is such an example. I have seen bayonets mounted in Yat dress but never a reworked rapier blade. With the consensus leaning towards a Solingen origin it makes a few connections possible. The Germans were actively involved with training the Ottoman army in the 19th century. Perhaps the blade was a gift that the recipient decided to mount as a Yat. Solingen blades were traded wide and far so it could have very well found its way to any number of people that decided to mount it as a Yat. Given that it seems to have been together for awhile I think the most likely scenario is a gift or trade item that the owner was proud enough of to have it reworked as a Yat. Man, if these things could only talk.