Antique 17th Century Islamic Turkish Ottoman Janissary Double Bladed Axe

Very rare antique 17th century Islamic Turkish Ottoman Imperial Guard Janissaries, double bladed axe head. In the 17th century, such double axes were carried exclusively by bodyguards and the Peikguards, a special troop within the Janissary corps at the court of the Turkish Ottoman Sultan. Please see: Die Karlsruher Türkenbeute", Hirmer Verlag München, 1991.Page. 213.No.159.

DETAILS: Extremely well hand forged, steel head with visible on the all of the parts, forging lamination with watered pattern with two large very sharp blades shaped in the form of the large crescent, threaded on at the ends of the shafts and screwed into the bulbous moulding at center of the rod ,which is surmounted by the finial in the shape of spear-shaped blade and a tapering tubular socket pierced with hole and riveted by the iron pin to the wood in the socket .

Since the axe head is hand forged from the hand forged, watered steel, tapped by the fingernails make a very nice sound as the musical tuning fork. This sound is characteristic for the high-quality carbonated steel same sound making swords and axes made of various Damascus steel.

In this type of the double-bladed battle axes with a large crescent-shaped blades and the central spear mounted on very long wood pole, were armed soldiers of the elite Ottoman infantry, the famous Janissary corps a personal guard of the Ottoman Sultans and pillars of the Ottoman Empire, as the deadly weapon in close Hand-to-hand combat.

The use of these type axes by the Ottoman Janissary are well documented in the period time iconography, illustrated on the 17th-18th century pictures including paintings and drawings depicting the Janissary soldiers armed in this type of the axe.

CONDITION: Pitted with the expected signs of use/wear; blades slightly bent out of the center edges with combat notches, socket retaining a part of wood staff, which was cut down. All this related to its age and usage. Please review all 18 photos in the listing, as they are part of the item's condition description.

REFERENCES: related axe are published in the following books.

1. Janissary: history, symbols, weapons by G.E. Vvedenskiy. In Russian. Page 117.

2. Die Karlsruher Türkenbeute", Hirmer Verlag München, 1991.Page. 213.No.159.

3. A similar ottoman axe, a booty from the Battle of Vienna 1683 is preserved in the collection of the Museum of King Jan III Sobieski Palace at Wilanow Poland. To view it please see the links below:

https://www.wilanow-palac.pl/turkish_obejcts_in_wilanow_collection.html

The last picture in the listing depicted Turkish ottoman Janissary arms including 3 double bladed displayed at the center axes as this axe at a museum exhibition.

We will provide the buyer with photocopies of the pages from the mentioned references together with a certificate of authenticity.

MEASUREMENTS:

Overall length: 44.5 cm (17.52 inches).
Width: 25.5 cm (9.45 inches).

Height of the crescent blade: 24 cm (9.45 inches).

Weight: 700 grams. (1.543 lb.).

To find out more information about the Janissaries corps please see the link below.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janissary

https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe...