Ottoman Shamshir Pictures

HUSAR · 9th April 2007, 09:05 AM

Very nice sword, for sure most of us would find enough space on the wall

even in very crowdy collections

Thanks for sharing pictures!
best
HUSAR

Yannis · 9th April 2007, 11:35 AM

Really this is a fine shamshir. But it is probably not complete (I play devil’s advocate now

). There is a piece of metal missing from the throat. A kind of flap or lid (not sure for the English word – not sure about the name of it in my language too

).

It is a long piece of metal that covers the cut of the upper side of the scabbard. Any of you that has seen it, he knows what I am talking about.

Usually you can say that is missing from 2 little rings close to the upper ring for hanging. Sometimes these little rings are cut off, after the lost of the flap. Alex, please take a look (or a picture) there. Are there any signs?

I have seen only 3 shamshirs with this flap present. I don’t remember if I have ever seen an ottoman shamshir of this quality without signs of the lost flap.

Alex, even if you find signs of missing flap, forget it. This is one of the finest shamshirs in our world. I envy it.

Yannis · 9th April 2007, 11:51 AM

Alex, thank you for sharing this with us. I feel guilty that maybe after my last post you and probably any other owner of shamshir you are looking for signs of missing flap. I just wanted to add something to our knowledge of these beautiful weapons.

ALEX · 9th April 2007, 12:38 PM

Yannis,
Thanks for noticing it, and no need to apologize. You're absolutely correct, many fine Ottoman shamshirs do have metal plates which cover the opening of the scabbard and click/attach to a crossguard. This sword has no signs of such a plate being there. I've seen another similar shamshirs with original scabbard, and also without any signs of that plate. The cover, by the way, is stamped with multiple Sultan tughras. Perhaps these swords are not that good to be covered/secured by any plates (or too good

Thanks again for your comments

RSWORD · 10th April 2007, 02:44 AM

I have a shamshir in which the scabbard has this "dust flap". I find it rather annoying because over the centuries it has become slightly bent and seems impractical from a functional point of view. I imagine many of these things were purposely removed because they can become so annoying. Since they are so uncommon I don't think it hinders this example as being called "complete" because many were made without this flapper. But it is a good thing to comment on because these things are not common.

9th April 2007, 09:05 AM	#1
HUSAR Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 80	Very nice sword, for sure most of us would find enough space on the wall even in very crowdy collections Thanks for sharing pictures! best HUSAR

9th April 2007, 11:35 AM	#2
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Really this is a fine shamshir. But it is probably not complete (I play devil’s advocate now ). There is a piece of metal missing from the throat. A kind of flap or lid (not sure for the English word – not sure about the name of it in my language too ). It is a long piece of metal that covers the cut of the upper side of the scabbard. Any of you that has seen it, he knows what I am talking about. Usually you can say that is missing from 2 little rings close to the upper ring for hanging. Sometimes these little rings are cut off, after the lost of the flap. Alex, please take a look (or a picture) there. Are there any signs? I have seen only 3 shamshirs with this flap present. I don’t remember if I have ever seen an ottoman shamshir of this quality without signs of the lost flap. Alex, even if you find signs of missing flap, forget it. This is one of the finest shamshirs in our world. I envy it.

9th April 2007, 11:51 AM	#3
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Alex, thank you for sharing this with us. I feel guilty that maybe after my last post you and probably any other owner of shamshir you are looking for signs of missing flap. I just wanted to add something to our knowledge of these beautiful weapons.

9th April 2007, 12:38 PM	#4
ALEX Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 936	Yannis, Thanks for noticing it, and no need to apologize. You're absolutely correct, many fine Ottoman shamshirs do have metal plates which cover the opening of the scabbard and click/attach to a crossguard. This sword has no signs of such a plate being there. I've seen another similar shamshirs with original scabbard, and also without any signs of that plate. The cover, by the way, is stamped with multiple Sultan tughras. Perhaps these swords are not that good to be covered/secured by any plates (or too good Thanks again for your comments

10th April 2007, 02:44 AM	#5
RSWORD Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 1,086	I have a shamshir in which the scabbard has this "dust flap". I find it rather annoying because over the centuries it has become slightly bent and seems impractical from a functional point of view. I imagine many of these things were purposely removed because they can become so annoying. Since they are so uncommon I don't think it hinders this example as being called "complete" because many were made without this flapper. But it is a good thing to comment on because these things are not common.