Turkish / Indian ?? Kilij Sword

Oriental-Arms · 6th July 2007, 07:21 PM

The sword below raised our interest in three aspects:

1) Blade and forging: The blade is 27 inches long, very curved with a 10 inches raised back edge. It is of superb quality, pattern welded steel forged in the pattern known as Turkish Ribbon, where several rows of twisted steel bars are forge welded together to produce the pattern.

This pattern was very common in Turkish swords and daggers from the 17 C. and on. It is very Characteristic and it is almost like screaming: I am Turkish. This blade has 7 or 8 layers which is quite unusual, as most of the blade will have 4-6 layers.

There is a gold inlaid cartouche in Arabic letters:

The inscription read: La fata ella Ali La Seif ella Dhulfaghar saneye 1037 (There is no brave man but Ali there is no sword but Dhulfaghar the year 1037). 1037 corresponds to 1627 in the Gregorian calendar. Quite an early date for this shape of blades which are believed to appear only in the 18 C.

2) Origin: Turkish style blade and definitely Indian style handle and scabbard:

Also the handle is of top quality and workmanship with heavy gold inlay (true inlay). The mounting of the handle is definitely old and uses the thick black resin as can be found in many old Tulwars and other Indian blades. So was it a Turkish blade that passes hands and finally arrived to India and received its Indian mounts?? Was it a custom made blade ordered in Turkey for an Indian buyer?? Any other suggestions?? Comments are most welcome.

3) Provenance: This sword came with an old label shown below:

. It reads:

"...From the collection of king George 5. Armourer Sir Laking sold up at Christies a year or 2 after the 1914 war, one of a set of 3, I believe, ?????, similar, each one larger than the other. Doubtless the Cimitar of one king or prince. The other two already passed on. Owen T.R. Prawskay (?). This label written 2.8.1960...

I am still looking for Christies catalogs from the period (1920 ??) to confirm the provenance and find the description of this sword.

CharlesS · 6th July 2007, 07:45 PM

The blade's age is very interesting, but it is the cultural mix of the sword that is my most favorite aspect of our blade collecting hobby, and therefore, especially the combination here is most fascinating.

ariel · 6th July 2007, 08:21 PM

Very, very interesting .
Questions:
- Where did it come from? The language of the label seems to be "learned", not native British. "George 5" is very peculiar, has to be "George V". Also, I doubt any educated person in GB would mention "1914 War", instead of "Great War" or, in 1960, simply WWI.
India?

Tim Simmons · 6th July 2007, 08:26 PM

The label is really weird I cannot believe it is British. One might have said the 14-18 war. One that slipped out of the Royal Armoury or perhaps his drawing room?

I would also question that the 5, apart from not being a "V" is not 5th. Whoever wrote the label was thinking ahead in time very conveniently.

ham · 6th July 2007, 11:58 PM

Congratulations on the acquisition of a truly superior example!
As to how an Ottoman blade found its way into an Indian hilt, we know that trade and gifts between the Turks and the Mughals were by no means rare.
Regarding its age, I suggest this blade was made in the latter 18th or early 19th century. The date is probably commemorative, rather than literal.
Remember that the Ottoman Navy was in its heyday until the very end of the 17th century; its conquests were surprisingly far-reaching in the early 1600s:

"In 1617 the Ottoman fleet captured Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean, before raiding Sussex, Plymouth, Devon, Hartland Point, Cornwall and the other counties of western England in August 1625. In 1627 Ottoman naval ships, accompanied by corsairs from the Barbary Coast, raided the Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. Between 1627 and 1631 the same Ottoman force also raided the coasts of Ireland and Sweden."

from Wikipedia entry on the Turkish Navy, see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History...e_Turkish_Navy

The kilic was a popular weapon with naval officers; at 27" long this blade would probably have been used at sea.
A very nice find indeed.

Ham

drdavid · 7th July 2007, 04:08 AM

Googling Prawskay and Prawshay does not reveal any such surname? could you read this name differently. Wikipaedia references Guy Francis Laking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Francis_Laking
as the most likely Sir Laking
Drd

6th July 2007, 07:21 PM	#1
Oriental-Arms Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Haifa, Israel Posts: 183	Turkish / Indian ?? Kilij Sword The sword below raised our interest in three aspects: 1) Blade and forging: The blade is 27 inches long, very curved with a 10 inches raised back edge. It is of superb quality, pattern welded steel forged in the pattern known as *Turkish Ribbon, where several rows of twisted steel bars are forge welded together to produce the pattern. This pattern was very common in Turkish swords and daggers from the 17 C. and on. It is very Characteristic and it is almost like screaming: I am Turkish. This blade has 7 or 8 layers which is quite unusual, as most of the blade will have 4-6 layers. There is a gold inlaid cartouche in Arabic letters: The inscription read: La fata ella Ali La Seif ella Dhulfaghar saneye 1037 (There is no brave man but Ali there is no sword but Dhulfaghar the year 1037)*. 1037 corresponds to 1627 in the Gregorian calendar. Quite an early date for this shape of blades which are believed to appear only in the 18 C. 2) Origin: Turkish style blade and definitely Indian style handle and scabbard: Also the handle is of top quality and workmanship with heavy gold inlay (true inlay). The mounting of the handle is definitely old and uses the thick black resin as can be found in many old Tulwars and other Indian blades. So was it a Turkish blade that passes hands and finally arrived to India and received its Indian mounts?? Was it a custom made blade ordered in Turkey for an Indian buyer?? Any other suggestions?? Comments are most welcome. 3) Provenance: This sword came with an old label shown below: . It reads: "...From the collection of king George 5. Armourer Sir Laking sold up at Christies a year or 2 after the 1914 war, one of a set of 3, I believe, ?????, similar, each one larger than the other. Doubtless the Cimitar of one king or prince. The other two already passed on. Owen T.R. Prawskay (?). This label written 2.8.1960... I am still looking for Christies catalogs from the period (1920 ??) to confirm the provenance and find the description of this sword.

6th July 2007, 08:26 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	The label is really weird I cannot believe it is British. One might have said the 14-18 war. One that slipped out of the Royal Armoury or perhaps his drawing room? I would also question that the 5, apart from not being a "V" is not 5th. Whoever wrote the label was thinking ahead in time very conveniently. Last edited by Tim Simmons; 6th July 2007 at 09:28 PM.

6th July 2007, 07:45 PM	#2
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,855	The blade's age is very interesting, but it is the cultural mix of the sword that is my most favorite aspect of our blade collecting hobby, and therefore, especially the combination here is most fascinating.

6th July 2007, 08:21 PM	#3
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Very, very interesting . Questions: - Where did it come from? The language of the label seems to be "learned", not native British. "George 5" is very peculiar, has to be "George V". Also, I doubt any educated person in GB would mention "1914 War", instead of "Great War" or, in 1960, simply WWI. India?

6th July 2007, 11:58 PM	#5
ham Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 190	Congratulations on the acquisition of a truly superior example! As to how an Ottoman blade found its way into an Indian hilt, we know that trade and gifts between the Turks and the Mughals were by no means rare. Regarding its age, I suggest this blade was made in the latter 18th or early 19th century. The date is probably commemorative, rather than literal. Remember that the Ottoman Navy was in its heyday until the very end of the 17th century; its conquests were surprisingly far-reaching in the early 1600s: "In 1617 the Ottoman fleet captured Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean, before raiding Sussex, Plymouth, Devon, Hartland Point, Cornwall and the other counties of western England in August 1625. In 1627 Ottoman naval ships, accompanied by corsairs from the Barbary Coast, raided the Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands, Denmark, Norway and Iceland. Between 1627 and 1631 the same Ottoman force also raided the coasts of Ireland and Sweden." from Wikipedia entry on the Turkish Navy, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History...e_Turkish_Navy The kilic was a popular weapon with naval officers; at 27" long this blade would probably have been used at sea. A very nice find indeed. Ham

7th July 2007, 04:08 AM	#6
drdavid Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 369	Googling Prawskay and Prawshay does not reveal any such surname? could you read this name differently. Wikipaedia references Guy Francis Laking http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Francis_Laking as the most likely Sir Laking Drd