Wootz Jambiya Albanian?
 

Another recent auction buy.
Catalogue Description:
9 ¾ inch slightly curved, double edged Damascus blade with central rib. Carved one piece horn grip with silvered filigree and stone set rivet heads. Contained in its silvered covered scabbard with floral engraving. Wire bound chape and throat.

My Stats:
Weight 1lb 1oz (0.49kg) in scabbard, 9.9oz (0.28kg) bare blade
Length overall: 15.5'' (39.5cm) Blade: 9.75'' (25cm)
Profile taper: 1.94'' (49.3mm) at ricasso , 1.31'' (33.2mm)at mid blade, 0.85'' (20.4mm) 2'' from tip.
Distal taper 0.18'' (4.5mm) at ricasso, 0.21'' (5.5mm)at mid blade,. 0.17'' (4.4mm) 2'' from tip.

No etchings or stamps but the blade seems to be wootz and there is a strange triangular demarcation area on both sides near the hilt. Is this the sign of a possible welded tang? People with more knowledge of metallurgy may be able to help me here. The scabbard appears to be silver with what could be a makers signature. Any translations welcome.
Is the Albanian attribution accurate? Any ideas as to the possible date. Feels to be a well constructed piece and the blade is very nicely patinated. I applied a light etch of dilute ferric chloride to bring out the pattern. As always all comments and opinions welcome.

The handle looks very much like rhinoceros horn.

I think it's a Kurdish dagger. A hilt is a buffalo horn, but not a rhinoceros. A good dagger.

Like Mahratt I lean towards Kurdish.

I would definitely agree that it appears to be more like horn or antler than bone.

It is Kurdish with Ottoman influence ( see terminal of the scabbard) and it is horn. Whether it is rhino or buffalo is difficult to be certain because of a worn-out surface and a single pic. Any pics of the top of its pommel and of smooth surface?

Thanks for all the help. Sorry for slow reply. I have done some more pictures, not sure if they add anything. Rhino horn would be interesting, if a little bit disconcerting.

Unfortunately, the hilt is not made from a horn of a rhinoceros ... This, as I said, is the horn of a buffalo.

Pay attention to the elements that I highlighted in red. You can see the curvature of the structure of the horn and the cracks. The structure of the rhinoceros horn fibers (keratin) is always straight. See the two last photos.

Hi, I agree with Ariel. Definitely Kurdish, not Albanian. The shape of the scabbard and particularly the point are Ottoman, but not necessarily Turkish - it was common in parts of the Ottoman Empire during that time, and your dagger is definitely of Ottoman age.
This shape of hilt and also the filigree ornaments are uncommon, but I have seen both on Kurdish daggers before. If I had to guess, I would say Northern Iraq.
The writing says A'mal Naser - the work of Naser, but I am not very good in reading Arabic, as shown very recently , so you should ask around.
Very nice dagger :)

Not to hijack the thread, but the picture of the hilt (I reposted below) brought a question to mind - has anyone ever thought this hilt form might be related to some of the European ballock dagger hilts? The region (Asia Minor/Mediterranean) has a long history of phallic-shaped fertility amulets. I would think the Islamic tradition of avoiding direct representation in favor of the more abstract would lend itself well to shaping a knife's hilt in this way.

Of course...it could just be that Freud would have a field day with me on his couch, and that a cigar is sometimes just a cigar.