Interesting Composite Dagger With Ethnographic Roots...Need Translation Help!
 

This is a very interesting old composite dagger whose origin I would like to identify. The dagger is massive and heavy. It measures 15in. overall, with a heavy 9in. blade from an Arab jambiya. The hilt is stag horn with an inscription at the pommel's end. The scabbard is polished horn with silver alloy fittings.

The blade's origin speaks for itself. The scabbard style looks very Indonesian to me.

I am hoping someone can translate both inscriptions. I think the key to its origin is in the bottom inscription.

Thanks in advance for any help!!!

Hey Charles,

I seen this one before somewhere... Well its a nice item but dont think the blade is Arabic maybe Indonesian made in the style of Arabian jambiya/khanjar blade. Probably the scabbard and blade are from the same time but the hilt is the only replacement.

The Indonesians did make jambiyas in the Arabic style, normally with different fittings, and scabbards, but this compares quite favorably with my other Arab khanjars, more than my Indonesian example, especially the size.

I have wondered in the past if these blade styles were trade blades or home grown products.

Interesting combination.
The dress seems to be Javanese.
Maybe the hilt is a later (European?) addition, as suggested.
Some of the Sundanese blades made for Westerners also have stag horn hilts, but the style of this hilt doesn't look Sundanese or Javanese.

Michael

I am probably completely off here - but the non latin characters on the pommel inscription look a bit like Thai script? :o

I have no clue what the Latin script means, but it is the secondary script that is key to telling us more about this dagger.

It does, indeed, look Thai or Burmese, but I am not familiar with the scripts of the Indonesian archipelago.

...still holding out hope that someone will have an answer...actually for EITHER of the scripts!

Michael,

I think you are spot on. I really believe this is custom made for a westerner that may have gone "mildly native". I too think it is from a Javanese craftsman, but still want to what we get on that script.

not Thai script. It 's unreadable to me. :confused:

Charles, I agree with Michael.
The little clip at the belt I've seen more often on Javanese Tjikeroeh swords.

Regards,
Maurice

Salaams Charles S ~ Well that is interesting ~ It looks like an Omani blade mounted with a peculiar hilt from wherever? The Roman Letters are as seen... but under that are the apparent initials H H ... This in Muli Alam the language of Kerala making the link Oman / Kerala on the West coast of India... with whom much trade has been done. :shrug:
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.