quadara - Caucasus, Trabzon, Iran ?

ariel · 11th June 2006, 10:02 PM

Here is my Qaddara: 32.5" total, 26.5" blade, 1.75"wide. For easy visual comparison, I put a paperback next to it: appropriately, it is " The sabres of Paradise" by Leslie Blanch. It is a fantastic book about the Russian wars to conquest the Caucasus, mainly about the Shamil's Gazavat. Reads like young John LeCarre, only better. Strongly recommend.

Rick · 11th June 2006, 10:14 PM

No more cracking wise about this thread Gentlemen .

ariel · 11th June 2006, 11:04 PM

Are comments about cracked handles (as in mine) permitted?

Rick · 11th June 2006, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

Are comments about cracked handles (as in mine) permitted?

All right I'll spell it out ; do not make any comments that demean the religion of Islam .
If I see any more comments of that nature in this thread the poster will get a month off.

Is that clear enough ?

Emanuel · 12th June 2006, 02:05 AM

Hello,
A question about the kindjals and quadaras used here: are these old weapons kept by families over the generations, or are some of them newly made/assembled for their ceremonial uses? There seem to be a whole lot of them in these pictures alone, so I'm wondering how widespread they are.
I never knew these weapons reached as far south as Iraq, they're trully fascinating.
Emanuel

Rivkin · 12th June 2006, 04:23 AM

In XIXth century these weapons used to be found as far south as Egypt; these ones are of what I would define iranian-influenced type. Most of them are of a relatively mediocre quality and vintage/newly made. They do not have signatures, koftgari or anything like this. Most of kindjals: have 2 rivets, hilt with relatively long handle, relatively small base and "arc-like" head. Rivets are usually quite simple and round. The blade has a single, sometimes slighly off-centered fuller, the blade is straight and relatively long (19++ inches), rapidly tapes at the end.

From extremely uniform look of this type I would assume there is probably some kind of metal shop in Karbala or Iran which produces them. They regularly come up in ebay, usually mislcassified as caucasian or georgian.
On the other hand, one regularly finds something of similar iranian type, with no koftgari, but with a much better hilt/structure suggesting older manufacture.

Again, on traditional, XIXth century iranian works one can usually find an extensive koftgari made with a copper or whitish wire, often including farsi signatures.

P.S. I checked other news agencies (above - copyright Corbis, below - Getty images). Indeed, attached is a picture of pre-Ashura kindjal sellers.

11th June 2006, 10:02 PM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Here is my Qaddara: 32.5" total, 26.5" blade, 1.75"wide. For easy visual comparison, I put a paperback next to it: appropriately, it is " The sabres of Paradise" by Leslie Blanch. It is a fantastic book about the Russian wars to conquest the Caucasus, mainly about the Shamil's Gazavat. Reads like young John LeCarre, only better. Strongly recommend. Attached Images

11th June 2006, 10:14 PM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	No More No more cracking wise about this thread Gentlemen .

12th June 2006, 04:23 AM	#6
Rivkin Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 655	In XIXth century these weapons used to be found as far south as Egypt; these ones are of what I would define iranian-influenced type. Most of them are of a relatively mediocre quality and vintage/newly made. They do not have signatures, koftgari or anything like this. Most of kindjals: have 2 rivets, hilt with relatively long handle, relatively small base and "arc-like" head. Rivets are usually quite simple and round. The blade has a single, sometimes slighly off-centered fuller, the blade is straight and relatively long (19++ inches), rapidly tapes at the end. From extremely uniform look of this type I would assume there is probably some kind of metal shop in Karbala or Iran which produces them. They regularly come up in ebay, usually mislcassified as caucasian or georgian. On the other hand, one regularly finds something of similar iranian type, with no koftgari, but with a much better hilt/structure suggesting older manufacture. Again, on traditional, XIXth century iranian works one can usually find an extensive koftgari made with a copper or whitish wire, often including farsi signatures. P.S. I checked other news agencies (above - copyright Corbis, below - Getty images). Indeed, attached is a picture of pre-Ashura kindjal sellers. Attached Images Last edited by Rivkin; 12th June 2006 at 04:40 AM.

11th June 2006, 11:04 PM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Are comments about cracked handles (as in mine) permitted?

12th June 2006, 02:05 AM	#5
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Hello, A question about the kindjals and quadaras used here: are these old weapons kept by families over the generations, or are some of them newly made/assembled for their ceremonial uses? There seem to be a whole lot of them in these pictures alone, so I'm wondering how widespread they are. I never knew these weapons reached as far south as Iraq, they're trully fascinating. Emanuel