An Ottoman sabre, Turkey or North Africa, late 18th or early 19th century

inscriptions

in the cartouches along the length of the blade, side A:

[ey gönül] bir cân içün her câna minnet eyleme

işret-i dünyâ içün sultâna minnet eyleme

bu cihânın varlığına yok deyüb de ağlama 

gir kanâ‘at evbine nâdâna minnet eyleme

'[O heart!] for the sake of one life, do not plead with every soul!

For the sake of pleasure in this world, do not plead with a sultan.

Saying that there is nothing to be had from this world’s existence, cry not,

Enter on the path of contentment, do not plead in ignorance.'

side B:

yetmez mi bu şehrin [halkına] bu nîmet-i bârî 

resûl-ü ekrem’in yâri ebâ eyûb-i ensârî.

'Is this favour from the Maker not enough for the folk of this city,

The friend of God’s Messenger, Abu Ayyub Ansari?'

iş [sic] u nûş eyle bugün anma gam-ı ferdâyı 

… bu yalan dünyâyı

'Make merry and drink today, think not on tomorrow’s grief,

… this deceitful world.'

sene 843

'Year 843 (1843?)'

The first couplet on side B concerns Abu Ayyub Ansari, a companion of the prophet Muhammad buried in Istanbul, while the second is a variant on a couplet attributed to Kemalpaşazade (1469-1534), followed by the date 843, which may be either an anachronistic Hijri date corresponding to 1439-40 AD, or a Christian date [1]843.

A sword and scabbard with very similar silver mounts was presented to General Browne-Clayton after the Battle of Alexandria in 1801 and is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum (inv. no.M.64:1, 2-1934; North 1985, p.27). A comparable sword, though smaller and more austere in its decoration, was formerly in the collection of Philippe Missillier and was sold in these rooms, 29 April 2025, lot 93. That sword is similarly field overlaid with verses in Turkish, albeit over a smaller area of the blade, and its mounts are stamped with the tughra of Mahmud II (r.1808-39).