SE Asia(?) Knife identification help needed

[TimW]

hello forumites

I recently purchased an old knife. The seller defined it being 'an african ritual knife'. I am puzzled by the origin. The knife does not look African at all, but I don't have a clue of its provenance.

The knife sports a semi integral blade. Point is double edged. Handle seems to consist of horn with a metal overlay. It is embellished with a series of red dots (coral or stone?). The rear end of the handle is covered by a coin. Blade is 15 cm long, handle measures 10 cm and has a round cross section. The back of the blade is 5 mm near the handle and tapers slowly towards the tip.

My rough guess is SE Asia, but all input about its origin and age is welcome.

Thx for your help.

Tim

[Iain]

A sharper image of the butt of the knife may help to ID the coin. :)

[TimW]

the problem is not in the picture, but in the coin itself. It's a blurry coin...

[Iain]

Well a larger photo would help me at least, from what I can see now it looks potentially like Arabic script and I am already beginning to wonder if the coin is Ottoman.

Coral is a material they were fond of. However I have to say weapons from this sphere of influence are not an area where I have much experience. :o

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

It looks like a Musandam shehi knife and decorated in coral (Morgan). I only have a modern derivative to hand but it illustrates my point. Cannot read the coin but could be a copy of a venetian ducat obliterated by a big old iron spiggot in its centre. :shrug:

[ariel]

IMHO, it is a North African Khodmi.

[Lew]

Could be a reworked European vendetta knife?

[TimW]

I don't think it's a Khodmi. I have 2 of them. Workmanship and blade geometry is completely different.

[chregu]

hello together
For me, the blade is Corsican, only the handle does not fit.
Chregu

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams ~ Check out "Shafra" by Lew and "are these Shafras" by Archer on our own research and see #4 by Lew shows where the back edge of the blade near the hilt is patterned... I feel certain that this points to Shafra or perhaps Shehe (Musandam Omani) design. the coin appears to be Arabic... though we aren't sure ... perhaps a better picture or a clean up on that would be useful... Morgan (coral) is a common decorative on Omani and Yemeni work. :shrug:
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.