Turkish Officer's Sword and Scabbard

Turkish Officer's sword and scabbard. The hilt has a brass D shape stirrup guard with a floral pattern and a crescent moon and star on the front and rear langets. The brass back strap has a laurel leaf design and the grips are fishskin that would originally have been bound with brass wire. The thin curved blade is etched on both sides having a trophy of arms design with a crescent moon and star in the centre. There is a single fuller on each side to within 275 mm from the spear point and the back edge has JULIUS VOOS FABRIQUE D'ARMES SOLINGEN near the ricasso etched in front of a floral pattern. The blackened steel scabbard has three brass fittings of an arabesque design being a chape, locket with a loose strap hanger ring and a centre band also with a loose strap ring.

This Turkish officer's sword was captured during a search carried out by British troops for arms in Baghdad. The city was quartered into small blocks and each Section of British troops were detailed to search homes within its boundaries.