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TIDBITS 06/19/05
If any of you want Tidbits emailed directly, let me know and
I'll take care of it. Tidbits may be reprinted without charge -- with attribution. Additionally, if you know of anyone who you think would enjoy Tidbits, please make them aware of us. URL (http://www.tyler-adam.com). We encourage you to forward this email to friends and colleagues. ====================================== Alas and alack ... this will be the last issue of Tidbits till July 15, 2005. Off to other worlds to see what's what. Yatagan of Ahmed Tekelü Yatagan ... a Turkish short sword ... this one dating back to the Ottoman Empire and belonging to the Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent and made by the then court jeweler Ahmed Tekelü ... circa 1526-27. Today ... you make a piece of jewelry by using a caster ... a setter ... a polisher ... and voilà. Well ... maybe not that simply ... but I'm speaking metaphorically. Ah ... but the making of the hilt of this sword was an entirely different story. This required a blacksmith ... an ivory carver ... a jeweler ... a goldsmith ...and the ability to duplicate in gold many of the decorative motifs found in the paintings of the time. It is and was art of the highest caliber. Within this hilt you will see a scaly dragon attacking a phoenix. I wonder if there's anyone around today that can actually make this kind of stuff. And when one finds this person ... what do you think he'll charge to create this ivory hilt inlaid with golden beasties and golden floral scrolls? I show you only the hilt today ... for the blade itself is just a blade ... a mundane piece of steel designed to cut and slice and pierce and maim. Nothing out of the ordinary. Of course ... as a weapon ... this blade holds no candle to an Inter-Continental Ballistics Missile ... or a Hydrogen Bomb ... or to any other of the civilized advancements we've made thanks to the sciences of the day. But then again ... there isn't a sub-machine gun out there that can compete for beauty with the primitive weaponry of yesteryear. So I say this. Let us keep up with the joys of the past. Let us adorn our Winchesters with handles inlaid with rubies and pearls. And our Marlins and Rugers ... gold leaf etched in relief. A few flowers here and there. A daisy perhaps. A pastoral scene for the trusty Remington. Two maidens would do ... formed with gold wire ... gamboling through a pristine meadow of green enameled grasses as a bullet shot from its barrel goes whistling along to its target.. And as for our ICBM's ... a mural along the body would be nice ... a cloudless sapphire sky with some seagulls ... and a hawk with black diamond eyes above for just a smidgen of terror and reality. Whaddya think? For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits...may I direct you to my home page at www.tyler-adam.com where you will scroll down the left side menu till you get to the area that says Tidbits Graphics ... and then click on the link that says: Yatagan in order to view this great Ottoman Hilt. And there ya have it. That's it for this week folks. Catch you all on the 15th. Benjamin Mark All issues of Tidbits are copyrighted and available from our home page. All rights reserved. |
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