Code EA9
This is a very nice and complete example of a bıçak (bichaq) from Bosnia. The total length of the knife is 30cm. The hilt is a broad tapering type being 3cms wide across the ears and 2cms at the bolster. The hilt grip has well carved bone on either side of the tang with intricate inlay of brass dots and circles of varying sizes in a fashion typical of Ottoman designs of the period. These techniques possibly originated in Bosnia and were exported and used on other Ottoman arms. The bolster is also decorated with incised lines. The blade is a broad type with an upswept needle tip. Very nice file work is found on the spine. Overall the knife is in very good condition. This bıçak was made at the end of 19th century. This type was often sold as souvenirs to officers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire who invaded Bosnia at the time. The scabbard of this bıçak has a monogram FK engraved on the front and "Franz Karl" on the back.
The principal centers of production of edged weapons in Bosnia were Sarajevo and Foca.
The bıçak is a single-edged dagger of Turkish origin, intended for use in close-quarters combat. It is widespread in areas controlled by the Ottoman Empire and its close neighbors. The earliest mention of a cutler making a bıçak appears in an Ottoman court book from 1555-1557. The bichaq is roughly equivalent in size and form to the Indo-Persian kard (and similar kards also found in the Ottomon Empire). Another similar knife is the pichok from Uzbekistan. The blade of a bıçak is either straight, holds a slight forward curve, like a short yataghan, or very rarely a backwards curve, like a janbiya (jambiya).
More pictures to come!
Category: Knife