This set of five forks and five knives comprises silver-inlaid steel blades and tines with silver and brass inlaid carved bone handles.
Each of the blades of the knives is inlaid with the word ‘Sarajevo’ and the date ‘1880’.
Such sets were made in Sarajevo for visitors and for export utilising Ottoman-style craftsmanship. The ends of each handle are carved precisely like the hilts of a yatagan sword, the traditional Ottoman Turkish sword for example, and the form of the knives relates to the bichaq daggers. The examples here have the earliest date on such items that we have seen.
The items are in fine condition. There is some old staining to the blades and tines but no losses otherwise.
References
Elgood, R., The Arms of Greece: And her Balkan Neighbours in the Ottoman Period, Thames & Hudson, 2009.