# Osmanlıca: Inscriptions on the pistol



## q123q

Help translate the inscriptions on the pistol.
This pistol was made in the 2nd half of the 19th century for the Middle East or Turkey.


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## cherine

The first picture is not very clear, the second says
عمل محمد الزركلي
Made by Muhammad al-zerekly


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## bamia

Seems to be a Levantine last name.


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## WadiH

I don't think the one on the left is Arabic (e.g. حميد إلاي ضابطان).  Would probably make sense for someone from the Indo-Iranian forum to weigh in.

It says year 1200H, which is actually late 18th century (around 1780).


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## q123q

Thanks!
Maybe Turkish?


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## WadiH

That is also possible, yes.


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## Torontal

Wadi Hanifa said:


> I don't think the one on the left is Arabic (e.g. حميد إلاي ضابطان).  Would probably make sense for someone from the Indo-Iranian forum to weigh in.
> 
> It says year 1200H, which is actually late 18th century (around 1780).



_حميد الاي ضابطان Hamîd alayı zâbitân_,
Hamid I guess refers to Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid I (reigned between 1774-1789) but I'm not sure (it would fit the date)
_alay-_Turkish for regiment,
_zâbitân_- officers
the next row is hard to interpret for me
in the last row there is a personal name again? Mahmud (محمود) somebody? (maybe the name of the officer to whom it belonged?)


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## q123q

Torontal said:


> _حميد الاي ضابطان Hamîd alayı zâbitân_,
> Hamid I guess refers to Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid I (reigned between 1774-1789) but I'm not sure (it would fit the date)
> _alay-_Turkish for regiment,
> _zâbitân_- officers
> the next row is hard to interpret for me
> in the last row there is a personal name again? Mahmud (محمود) somebody? (maybe the name of the officer to whom it belonged?)


The pistol (revolver) was made in 1884-1893. The inscription could be made in this period or later.  Photo of revolver.


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## Torontal

q123q said:


> The pistol (revolver) was made in 1884-1893. The inscription could be made in this period or later.  Photo of revolver.



Thanks, then that Hamid must be sultan Abdul Hamid* II*, and then I guess the first line refers to officers of the Hamdiye corps
Hamidiye (cavalry) - Wikipedia


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## q123q

Very Thanks!


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## WadiH

q123q said:


> The pistol (revolver) was made in 1884-1893. The inscription could be made in this period or later.  Photo of revolver.



Ah yes, looking at it again it looks like it's actually 1312H (which is around 1895 indeed).


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