Hidán Csaba – Szőllősy Gábor: Fegyver- és lószerszámgyűjtemény a tápiószelei Blaskovich Múzeumban (PMMI kiadványai - Kiállítási katalógusok 24. Pest Megyei Múzeumok Igazgatósága, Szentendre, 2008)

Csaba Hidán: Weapon collection in the Blaskovich Museum of Tápiószele , Resume (Ford.: Juhászné Szepesi Beatrix)

motif. The grasp is black just like the wrist cord. The sheath of the sabre is covered with black shagreen. Its mounts and the sling are silvered. This carabella resembles the sabre preserved in Waffensammlung of Vienna, which used to belong to Mihály Apafi II. Similar items can be found in Transylvania, in the collection of Peles castle and in the Bruckental Museum in Szeben (Sibiu). An outstanding item of the eastern-type side-arms of the collection is the sabre Inv. No. 67. 750. 1-2. The "kilij"-type Turkish sabre was used in the 18-19

th centuries. Its blade is considerably bent and its cross-section has a "T"-shape. Its false edge is long, it is as much as one-third of the length of the blade. The point of the weapon makes the strongly-bent blade suitable for thrusting as well. The wide, gilded silver cross-bar ends in open-mouth lion heads with turquoise in their mouth. The end of the grasp has the shape of a bulb of onion. Both the handle of the sabre and the gilded silver fittings of the sheath covered with dark red velvet are decorated with engraved turquoise and paste-beads. Quotations of the Koran are inscribed in the turquoise stones with "nastalik"-type Persian letters. Beside the letters there are several numbers on the stones, which might be related to numerology. One of the numbers may refer to the date of manufacturing at the beginning of the 19

th century. The belt Inv. No. 67. 147 is very similar to the pattern, the material and the ornamentation of the sabre. Turkish belts made of metal plates or circles can also be seen in the collection of the Hungarian National Museum. Among the thrust weapons, the most interesting pieces are the yataghans. The cutting edge of this weapon with a characteristically bended blade was on the hollow part. At the millennial exhibition of 1896, there was a very rare "flame-edged, silver mounted yataghan" displayed as well, which, according to the family tradition, was owned by János Bottyán, Kuruc general. Among the hitting, cutting and striking weapons you can find fokos, axes, war hammers and an early hatchet. The most outstanding items of them are the fokos dated to 1848, which belonged to Móric Szentkirályi (1809-1882), sub-prefect of Pest County, Jazygian-Coman captain-general, and the Persian weapon assembly. The use of the early Hungarian hatchet is demonstrated in photos as well. The major part - as much as half - of the Blaskovich arsenal consists of firearms and firearms accessories. One half of that is long guns and short guns (27 items) and the other half is powder flasks and cartridge pouches (26 items). The most interesting pieces of the firearms of the Blaskovich Museum are the two "chinka"guns dated to the 1600s. The most characteristic feature of this type is the bedding and the stock. Behind the trigger there are metal finger supports for the right hand because when shooting they did not hold the stock of this gun against the shoulder. "Chinka"-guns were made with either a shorter or a longer barrel. The most beautiful and the oldest item of the firearms used to belong to Ilona Zrínyi - according to the family tradition of the Blaskovich. Although this statement cannot be testified with documents, it is beyond doubt that the bedding of the 17

th century wheellock weapon is richly ornamented with ivory and bead encrustments and even its lock and stock are decorated. On the basis of the small calibre and rich decoration, the weapon can be regarded a fowling gun owned by some aristocrat. The other "chinka"-gun with a shorter barrel dated to the 1600s is a really unusual piece. Its simple elaboration suggests everyday use; a self-defence function so it could not have belonged to an aristocrat. The firing mechanism, which was originally wheellock was converted and even fitted with a sight plate. The other parts of the weapon remained in a rather good condition. In Hungary, this kind of weapon was also called a side-of-car gun, which referred to its normal use. This type of "chinka"-gun is not only the oldest weapon of the Blaskovich Museum but also a rarity among this kind of early firearms. Special items of the collection of the Blaskovich Museum are the Balkan-Turkish long and short guns. The arsenal of the museum contains five really beautifully elaborated 18-19

th century Balkan long guns. Their high artistic quality is represented by the beautiful mother-of-pearl encrustments, copper mounts and copper fittings. Nice pieces are the two 17—18

th c. Turkish-Balkan short guns as