Ottoman Silver Dagger with Calligraphic Grip

+44 (0)20 7937 4422

An unusual Ottoman dagger with an I-shaped grip and narrow double-edged blade. The grip is decorated with silver, engraved with Arabic poetry. The scabbard, of wood covered with blue velvet, is decorated with silver openwork palmette and saz leaf arabesques at chape and fuller. The scabbard terminates in a small tear-shaped finial. The watered steel blade has a single fuller, and is inlaid with geometric designgs in gold koftgari at ricasso.

On the grip, in Arabic:
Side A
هذا الذي سهم القضاء

This is what the arrow of fate …
Side B

في حدّه صنع الآلة(؟)

In its blade is the crafting(?) of the instrument(?) …

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