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Originally Posted by VANDOO
I AGREE WITH DAVID THAT THE BLADE IS LIKELY OLDER THAN THE FITTINGS. THE HORN IS AFRICAN ANTELOPE NOT SURE WHICH TYPE AS MY HORN COLLECTION IS NOT AT HAND.  I WOULD CLASSIFY THIS ITEM AS A HOME MADE OR A CUSTOM MADE KNIFE. IT IS NOT A FAKE OR FOR TOURISTS AS IT IS, LIKELY ONE OF A KIND OR IF A KNIFE MAKER MADE IT THEY WOULD BE IN VERY LIMITED PRODUCTIONAND PROBABLY NO TWO ALIKE. THE BLADE REMINDS ME OF SOME OF THE ARABIC SHORT DAGGERS, SO IT IS A CUSTOM MADE COMPOSITE KNIFE, PERHAPS MADE TO ORDER.
NOW TO SOW SOME CONFUSION
THIS IS A LARGE CATAGORY WE USUALLY DON'T COVER HERE AS WE TEND TO CONCENTRATE ON WEAPONS THAT FOLLOW THE TRADITIONAL FORMS AND TECKNIQUES OF MANUFACTURE USED BY ONE SOCIETY OR THE OTHER.
A CUSTOM MADE KNIFE OR A COMPOSITE WEAPON REGARDLESS IF IT IS HOME MADE OR MADE BY A KNIFEMAKER COULD FALL INTO SEVERAL CATEGORYS DEPENDENING ON ITS CIRCUMSTANCES. IF A MEMBER OF A TRIBE FASHONS A WEAPON USING A BUNCH OF PARTS HE MAKES A HOMEMADE COMPOSITE WEAPON, IF HE USES IT HIMSELF OR TRADES IT TO ANOTHER TRIBAL MEMBER FOR USE IT IS ETHINOGRAPHIC. IF THE SAME FELLOW MAKES UP A LOT OF THEM AND SELLS THEM TO TOURISTS DOWN AT THE CASBAH ITS A TOURIST ITEM. IF IT IS NEWLY MADE TO LOOK LIKE THE TRADITIONAL WEAPONS OF THE REGION AND SOLD AS A OLD ONE IT IS A FAKE BUT IF TRIBAL MADE IS STILL ETHINOGRAPHIC  IF SOLD AS A NEW ONE IT IS A NEW ETHINOGRAPH WEAPON. IF SOMEONE REQUESTS A KNIFE BE MADE TO HIS DESIGN IT IS A CUSTOM MADE KNIFE, SOME WILL CLASSIFY ALL KNIVES MADE BY MAKERS AS CUSTOM MADE SUCH AS LYLE AND OTHER FAMOUS MAKERS. I TEND TO LOOK AT THESE AS CUSTOM DESIGNS MADE BY THE KNIFEMAKER WHICH IF YOU ORDER ONE FROM HIM BASED ON ONE HE HAS AND HE THEN MAKES ONE FOR YOU IT IS THEN A CUSTOM KNIFE. IF I JUST BUY FROM HIS CURRENT STOCK I JUST CONSIDER IT A LYLE DESIGN HANDMADE KNIFE NOT CUSTOM. PERHAPS I AM JUST A BIT PICKY BUT THATS THE WAY I SEE IT. 
AT ANY RATE I LIKE YOUR KNIFE IT APPEARS TO BE WELL MADE, FUNCTIONAL AND IS ATTRACTIVE, I WONDER WHAT THE SCABBARD LOOKED LIKE.? |
Very well versed and intriguing analysis of this conundrum Vandoo!
I agree that often it is difficult to properly categorize weapons, especially of course 'ethnographic' as these do not follow regulations or 'patterns' out of books. I think your approach is probably the most reasonable application I have heard and wanted to thank you for including it here.
This is indeed a very attractive knife, and I always find the experienced observations of those posting on these elusive identifications most interesting. It seems that commercialism pretty much negates most of our standard methods of identification with many of such examples, though they remain appealing and typically functional in thier own right.
All the best,
Jim