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Originally Posted by Hommine
The silver firestriker is a strange object. You can't strike fire with it (silver). However it was bought long before the tourist era in the interior. It also has significant wear and tear and is finely made. It must have been some sort of symbol. The silver powderboxes were also worn symbolically in Oman long after the matchlocks were used. Have never seen another silver firestriker before. Maybe it was just a fun object. I bought some antique miniature brass cooking pots that were also made for fun / to play.
Hielke
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Salaams... I just discovered this whilst searching back through the forum on an entirely different subject ~ Very nice items indeed,,, The firestrikers are now very rare. You will find that the strikers are steel or iron whilst the fittings and chains are silver. If the striker is silver it would be purely Iconic and worn as a good luck charm rather than a practical piece but I suspect they are ferous made... not silver. Anyway gunpowder ~ abu futillah muzzle loaders were still being used in the 20th Century and the powder charges (I assume they are the brass type) fitted into a belt ... though not that belt as that belt is for Martini Henry ammo 577 originally made in about 1872 with many weapons finding their way into Palace Guard armouries in Arabia and Oman via Muscat and Ajman ... I have seen a belt specifically for these charge containers. I have also seen brass decorated containers and others adorned in ivory. Actually as part of a cross belt system... Even for an Omani narrow waist it seems short? Ive had another look at the belt and ... I think you may be right.. It could be a purpose made abu futilla cartridge belt. I wonder if it is made for the waist or ??... cross belt.. either way that is a very rare item ..
The Talahiq are interesting and were worn round the neck sometimes hanging down the back...Like all silver, the items worn are Talismanic and may be thought of rather as; Gold the Sun / Silver the Moon. They too are very rare now. Very nice stuff... Thanks.
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.