OTTOMAN TURKEY, LATE 18TH/EARLY 19TH CENTURY

Details

A GILT SILVER-HILTED AND GOLD-DAMASCENED WATERED-STEEL SWORD (KILIJ)
OTTOMAN TURKEY, LATE 18TH/EARLY 19TH CENTURY
The single-edged curved blade of typical form, a damascened palmette rising form the ricasso, a calligraphic lobed medallion above inscribed 'ma sha' Allah', the quillon block with simple quatrefoil, a scrolling tendril rising to the pommel, the red velvet sheath's mounts engraved with similar tendrils, quatrefoils and floral motifs, the silver gilt mounts and hilt struck with unidentified proof marks NA
34 ¼in. (87cm.) long

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Louise Broadhurst

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Lot Essay

This kilij's blade has the same shape and length as an example dated to circa 1800 kept in the Rustkammer in Dresden (Schukelt, 2010, ill. 354, p. 359). Our blade also bears a medallion inscribed 'what God wants' similarly to a double tipped sword kept in the same collection dated to the late 18th/early 19th century and to another fitted with 18th century mounts (ill. 352-353, p. 335 and 359).

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