Help identifying a dagger, please

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by Donnellm, Oct 1, 2019.

  1. Donnellm

    Donnellm Member

    Can anyone help me identify this dagger? The blade is approx. 5 1/2 inches long and magnetic, but very light weight and dull. It looks similar to a Yemen Jambiya or a Jile from the North Horn of Africa. Or I could just have a fancy souvenir letter opener
     
    Donnellm, Oct 1, 2019
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  2. scoutshouse

    scoutshouse Well-Known Member

    scoutshouse, Oct 1, 2019
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  3. i need help

    i need help Moderator Moderator

    The others who were tagged have more knowledge on this than I. Just looking at what you suggested, Yemen Jambiya looks right to me. :) I would not open a letter with it! :woot:
     
    i need help, Oct 1, 2019
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  4. Donnellm

    Donnellm Member

    Thank you! I am curious as to what it really is.
     
    Donnellm, Oct 1, 2019
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  5. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    Yemen Jambiya...... likely bought in the marketplace..

    upload_2019-10-1_14-51-6.jpeg

    Your sheath is very nice.....& may be specific to a region...or town..
     
    komokwa, Oct 1, 2019
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  6. Donnellm

    Donnellm Member

    Thank you so much for the reply with the picture. I was leaning towards a Jambiya but couldn't find any pics with a sheath as curved as the one that I found.
     
    Donnellm, Oct 1, 2019
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  7. Aquitaine

    Aquitaine Is What It IS! But NEVER BORED!

    AAAAND, WELCOME to ANTIQUERS, @Donnellm !!!!:):)
     
    Aquitaine, Oct 1, 2019
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  8. Donnellm

    Donnellm Member

    :happy::woot:
     
    Donnellm, Oct 1, 2019
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  9. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    It is a beauty, and welcome @Donnellm .
    It is. That very curved sheath shape and the reddish leather are specific to the Hadramaut, the coastal region of southeastern Yemen. Being Yemeni they also make them in silver. The hilt could be rhino horn.
     
    Any Jewelry, Oct 4, 2019
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  10. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    the close up shows it to be wood...
     
    komokwa, Oct 4, 2019
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  11. Donnellm

    Donnellm Member

    Wow! Thank you so much! That's more information than I could have hoped to receive. I know nothing about daggers but I'm finding it interesting to research each piece of information that I get here. (I was getting confused trying to research it myself ). :confused:
     
    Donnellm, Oct 4, 2019
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  12. Donnellm

    Donnellm Member

    That's probably a good thing.....
     
    Donnellm, Oct 4, 2019
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  13. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    I sincerely hope it is wood. Rhino horn also has a wood-like grain, and the colour varies from greenish to yellowish to brownish.:(
     
    Any Jewelry, Oct 5, 2019
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  14. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    which would make it really cool...and older....but impossible to sell....
     
    komokwa, Oct 5, 2019
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  15. Donnellm

    Donnellm Member

    Exactly! (Plus I love animals). Any idea how I would go about finding out what it's made of? I know that a jeweler could test the metal, but who tests for rhino horn?
     
    Donnellm, Oct 5, 2019
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  16. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    I have never seen a wooden hilt on a jambiya, which doesn't mean wood was never used. Maybe in poorer regions, but they did spend some cash on the silver decorations.
    As far as I know the Yemeni used different types of horn, with the favourite being rhino.
    Here are some hilts from the vikingsword forum:
    [​IMG]
    #1) Rhino horn handle with silver fittings
    #2) Supposedly Amber handle (need to confirm it)
    #3) Whole silver handle, silver scabbard.
    #4) Rhino horn handle with silver fittings, silver scabbard.
    #5) Rhino horn handle with pierced silver fittings.
    #6) Rhino horn handle with silver fittings and colored stone also on the scabbard
    #7) Cow horn with silver nails
    http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10798
     
    Any Jewelry, Oct 5, 2019
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  17. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    upload_2019-10-5_20-38-51.jpeg

    well I see wood grain....but I could be wrong..
     
    komokwa, Oct 5, 2019
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  18. i need help

    i need help Moderator Moderator

    I have no opinion on the op handle, just offering some info in general

    Yemen
    A jambia is a short dagger worn by men in Yemen. The handle of a janbiya tells the status of the man who wears it.

    Structure and makeEdit
    The janbia was given its name because it is worn on the side of a person – the word janbia is derived from the Arabic word "janb" which mean "side". A janbia is constituted of a handle, a blade, and a sheath in which the blade is held. It is made of a certain sort of wood, to hold the blade that is fixed to the waist from underneath with an upward curved sheath. The belt that holds the janbia is made of tanned leather, or some thick cloth. There are specialised markets and handicraft markets that decorate it with golden wires.

    The janbia handle often tells of the social status of the man who wears it. Janbias were often made with ivory handles. The manufacturers most often receive this material through smugglers, due to the international ban on the substance. As ivory has only ever had ornamental merit in such an application, those that recognize the janbia as a tool and/or weapon tend to prefer a hardwood handle anyway. Many street-side charlatans will proclaim to sell ivory-handled janbias whilst actually selling poorly-made blades with white plastic handles.

    Source https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janbiya
     
    i need help, Oct 5, 2019
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  19. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

    good info to add to the talk !!
     
    komokwa, Oct 6, 2019
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