Bosnian Bichaq

[gp]

Originally Posted by gp

talking about a variant or (to me a little at least) strange is this one I just puchased

Indeed a bichaq but not the regular "warrior" or combattant one, nor the one for ceremonial purposes (like after the Habsburg annexation).

Why?
Simple; its size is too small / short.

Dimensions:
total length 21,0 cm with scabbard
blade 19,5 cm - width 1,8 cm
handle/grip 9,5 cm

strange in my opinion is the handle /grip : not the typical "yataghan"type but an animal (looks like a deer)

at those time you didn't had such a thing like "artistic" freedom , nor where the makers that couageous or daring to try such a thing.. Specially in the Ottoman times. My guess would be that it was made for a child of either a (very) rich merchant or aristocrat in the Balkans.


remark: the decoration on the ferrule is very fine and not seen or hardly on bichaqs as is on this one...
the metal scabbard looks "scruffy"but my guess is that the leather on it has disappeared, hence leaving it "naked"


What do you think ?

update on the "scruffy":

after it arrived i noticed the metallic little look at some spots on the scabbard were actually silver ! So no leather like some bichaqs have.
The complete scabbard has been silverplated originally and sadly it disaapeared through time.
Looking at the size, the "deer" hilt, I think a nobleman or rich merchand had it made for his son pre 1878, not in the Habsburg but Ottoman era.

[gp]

a new one which I hardly have seen:
the round top of the hilt / grip and not "fancied up" with metallic support or decoration.
Be it as support of the blade or just as an additional decoration.
Total lenght: 36 cm, bichaq only 35 cm

Judging by the decorations on the blade, this looks exactly the same like the Sarajevo ones I have prior the Austrian occupation in 1878 or the latest in the transition 1878.
So definetly Ottoman period, which I would judge timewise between 1850-1870.

The round top reminds me of the Ottoman gravestones in Bosnia, specially in Sarajevo which were in Ottoman times decorated with this turban-like decoration at the top, which looks similar here with the bichaq...

Your thoughts please, what do you think ? or is it just a misplaced silly and wrong assumption ?

[gp]

just received my new bichaq of the non yataghan type blade; a triangle one.

You do not see these "triangle"ones that often and in the forum I only saw one example in member Valjhun's collection posted 2008 http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showpo...8&postcount=23

my previous posted and 2 other ones are one from Sarajevo and Foca 1890.

This one is from Foca as well but no date on the blade.

Does any forum memeber have a traingle one and if positive:

- kindly requested to give me the specs / dimensions
- show us a picture

thank you very much !☼

[gp]

Two nice pieces :

a nice Bosniakenmesser / bichaq with a blade of 35 cm and wooden copper covered scabbard

and the second is a long dagger which based on its lenght I never have seen before;
Total 45,5cm with scabbard, witouth 40 cm and blade 27 cm .
Scabbard is made out of wood, leather cover and metal / iron at end and top.


Has any of you seen the 2nd long type before or have you one in your collection ? in the latter case, kindle requested to provide a picture, thank you