Inlay, koftgari, repousse, chasing and neillo

wilked aka Khun Deng · 15th December 2004, 03:15 PM

Jose, Can't thank you enough, I felt like I had been missing somewhat of the explainations in the posts being ignorant of the correct terms. Your concise explanations along with the photos make this remarkably easy to pick up. So if I have this right now, the scabbard on Mark's 1798 dha is repousse and what I had been reffering to as neillo on Ayutthaya period swords is actually kaftgari. Damn I'm glad I asked and even happier you answered.

Eris, Excellent suggestion! Especially on many of the Caucasian and Turkish weapons I tend to skim through those for which I've no visual picture to refresh my memory. I would take this one step further and recommend a drop down menu along the top of the toolbar that you click on and get a list of blade types by name and a quick click would bring up a small dialogue box that would allow you to see a representative blade and still read the post. What of it Lee can this software do that?

Battara · 16th December 2004, 12:43 PM

You can have repousse and neillo on a sword at the same time. The silver work on the scabbard is repousse. The silver work on the blade is kofgari. Glad this helps.

RhysMichael · 16th December 2004, 03:48 PM

Thanks so much that corrects alot of my misconceptions.

Yannis · 16th December 2004, 05:11 PM

Battara,

Thank you for the input.

Often on old swords and knives we see great artwork that we admire. Anyone who collects has something that he loves more. I think this topic is ideal to share our personal taste of art. I start first with my love, I hope some of you will join:

Gentlemen

The throat of the scabbard of a caucasian kindjal. Chassing in center, niello all around

Battara · 16th December 2004, 10:55 PM

Yannis, that is some beautifully repoussed and neillod work. Excellently executed. Thank you for sharing this.

Yannis · 16th December 2004, 11:03 PM

Ops! I thought it was "chasing" because it is hammered from the front side. I am not good student after all

Mare Rosu · 18th December 2004, 08:52 PM

Yannis
Thanks for the suggestion to share our good stuff for review!

Battara
I was going to make an attempt to say just what type the inscription was, after studying you information, but chickened out! Would you please tell me what type the inscription on the blade is and maybe even the hilt and sheath in the back ground.
Thanks

Battara · 19th December 2004, 09:15 PM

Yannis

My apologies.

I think I was seeing an optical illusion (or a senor moment

). From this other computer screen, I can now see that in fact it is chased. You're right in that chased is exclusively from the top down onto the metal.

Mare Rosu

Your inscription appears to possibly be a bismallah ("name of God") and done in gold koftgari with some line engraving around the borders of the bismallah. You can even see a little of the koftgari wearing at the edges. Overall, excellent condition of koftgari.

The scabbard in the background is difficult to see. If you could post clearer pictures, that would be helpful.

I would take a stab at a possible mixture of soldering of silver pieces and silver stylized wire with perhaps some chasing, though again, I would need clearer details.

The hilt section in the foreground appears to be repoussed, although I have seen and done some chasing work that, if done the right way, can appear to be repoussed like this silver scabbard section that I chased years ago (my second attempt at a scabbard):

Antonio Cejunior · 16th March 2005, 11:36 AM

Dan and Jose,

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise on these examples.
I certainly can only applaude and thank you for sharing all these photographs and technical explanations.

Superb!!!

15th December 2004, 03:15 PM	#1
wilked aka Khun Deng Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Oahu, Hawaii Posts: 166	You the Man! Jose, Can't thank you enough, I felt like I had been missing somewhat of the explainations in the posts being ignorant of the correct terms. Your concise explanations along with the photos make this remarkably easy to pick up. So if I have this right now, the scabbard on Mark's 1798 dha is repousse and what I had been reffering to as neillo on Ayutthaya period swords is actually kaftgari. Damn I'm glad I asked and even happier you answered. Eris, Excellent suggestion! Especially on many of the Caucasian and Turkish weapons I tend to skim through those for which I've no visual picture to refresh my memory. I would take this one step further and recommend a drop down menu along the top of the toolbar that you click on and get a list of blade types by name and a quick click would bring up a small dialogue box that would allow you to see a representative blade and still read the post. What of it Lee can this software do that?

16th December 2004, 05:11 PM	#4
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Battara, Thank you for the input. Often on old swords and knives we see great artwork that we admire. Anyone who collects has something that he loves more. I think this topic is ideal to share our personal taste of art. I start first with my love, I hope some of you will join: Gentlemen The throat of the scabbard of a caucasian kindjal. Chassing in center, niello all around Attached Images

18th December 2004, 08:52 PM	#7
Mare Rosu Deceased Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: USA, DEEP SOUTH, GEORGIA, Y'all hear? Posts: 121	Help Yannis Thanks for the suggestion to share our good stuff for review! Battara I was going to make an attempt to say just what type the inscription was, after studying you information, but chickened out! Would you please tell me what type the inscription on the blade is and maybe even the hilt and sheath in the back ground. Thanks Attached Images

19th December 2004, 09:15 PM	#8
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,345	Yannis My apologies. I think I was seeing an optical illusion (or a senor moment ). From this other computer screen, I can now see that in fact it is chased. You're right in that chased is exclusively from the top down onto the metal. Mare Rosu Your inscription appears to possibly be a bismallah ("name of God") and done in gold koftgari with some line engraving around the borders of the bismallah. You can even see a little of the koftgari wearing at the edges. Overall, excellent condition of koftgari. The scabbard in the background is difficult to see. If you could post clearer pictures, that would be helpful. I would take a stab at a possible mixture of soldering of silver pieces and silver stylized wire with perhaps some chasing, though again, I would need clearer details. The hilt section in the foreground appears to be repoussed, although I have seen and done some chasing work that, if done the right way, can appear to be repoussed like this silver scabbard section that I chased years ago (my second attempt at a scabbard): Attached Images Last edited by Battara; 19th December 2004 at 09:25 PM.

16th March 2005, 11:36 AM	#9
Antonio Cejunior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Macau Posts: 294	Superb examples Dan and Jose, Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise on these examples. I certainly can only applaude and thank you for sharing all these photographs and technical explanations. Superb!!!

16th December 2004, 12:43 PM	#2
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,345	You can have repousse and neillo on a sword at the same time. The silver work on the scabbard is repousse. The silver work on the blade is kofgari. Glad this helps.

16th December 2004, 03:48 PM	#3
RhysMichael Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 520	Thanks so much that corrects alot of my misconceptions.

16th December 2004, 10:55 PM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,345	Yannis, that is some beautifully repoussed and neillod work. Excellently executed. Thank you for sharing this.

16th December 2004, 11:03 PM	#6
Yannis Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Athens Greece Posts: 479	Ops! I thought it was "chasing" because it is hammered from the front side. I am not good student after all